WRITTEN QUESTION E-3699/00 by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission. Porpoise by-catches.
Date: 2000-11-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: accession to an agreement, biotope, by-catch, environmental impact, environmental protection, impact study, international agreement, marine environment, marine mammal

3.7.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187 E/29

(2001/C 187 E/029)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3699/00

by Torben Lund (PSE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Porpoise by-catches

It appears from its answer of 16 October 2000 to my Question E-2584/00 (1) that (cid:145)In general, very few
facts on population dynamics and by-catch issues [influence?] on the harbour porpoise are known to the
Commission(cid:146).

Will the Commission then review the Ascobans assessment of the situation of porpoises in the North Sea
and the Baltic respectively?

Will the Commission also describe its cooperation with Ascobans and indicate whether it sits in as an
observer at the meetings of the Ascobans Advisory Committee?

(1) OJ C 113 E, 18.4.2001, p. 125.

Answer given by Mrs Wallstr(cid:246)m on behalf of the Commission

(1 February 2001)

The lack of information about this species is a regrettable situation that the Commission shares with the
scientific community. Therefore, it is not surprising that even highly specialised bodies such the Agreement
on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (Ascobans), continue to call for new
researches on the subject.

The Commission welcomes all the efforts to maintain at a favourable status of conservation the species
listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive, as it is the case for all cetaceans the Commission regularly
meets regional environmental organisations to exchange views and information. A meeting with repre-
sentatives of Ascobans was scheduled on 8 December 2000 but, due to unforeseen circumstances, it has
had to be postponed.

As for the participation at Ascobans(cid:146) work, the Community is what the agreement(cid:146)s text calls (cid:145)regional
economic integration organisation(cid:146) and therefore is qualified to send observers to the meetings.

Until now, the Community has signed up the Final Act of the meeting at which the text of the Agreement
was adopted and the Agreement itself. However, the latter is not yet ratified. Taking into account the
current workload of the Commission and its shortage of human resources, the participation at Ascobans
meetings is decided on a case by case basis.

(2001/C 187 E/030)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3709/00

by Mark Watts (PSE) to the Commission

(29 November 2000)

Subject: Commission mission carried out in Thailand concerning poultry meat

The Commission has published a report of a mission carried out by its Food and Veterinary Office in
Thailand from 6 to 17 December 1999 concerning the production of poultry meat (DG (SANCO)/1214/
1999-MR Final). Paragraph 3.6.3. states that the handling in the slaughterhouse of crates containing live
birds and the unloading of the crates and the hanging of the birds on the shackle line was done carefully.
However, the paragraph then states that the stunning equipment was (cid:145)not properly adjusted in most of the
establishments(cid:146) and that the central competent authority (cid:145)did not define the electrical parameters to be used
for stunning(cid:146). Paragraph 5.6 states that there should be more detailed supervision of stunning.