WRITTEN QUESTION E-4017/00 by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission. Longline fishing.
Date: 2000-12-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, bird, fishing industry, fishing net, protection of animals

11.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 350 E/7

It is not for the Commission to declare whether particular pricing methods are appropriate unless
7.
they infringe the competition rules as such.
technological and commercial
developments, convergence may provide new incentives to compete in roaming markets. If sufficient
competitive pressures emerge it appears likely that neither the mechanism by which operators determine
retail rates by applying standard mark-ups to wholesale rates, nor the parallel pricing at wholesale levels
that is prevalent today, will be sustainable.

In addition to other

(1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/antitrust/others/sector_inquiries/roaming/.
(2) See e.g. the comparative discussion in Cellular Mobile Pricing Structures and Trends, OECD, Paris, May 2000 (DSTI/

ICCP/TISP(99)11/FINAL).

(2001/C 350 E/007)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4017/00

by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission

(21 December 2000)

Subject: Longline fishing

As the Commission is no doubt aware, there are concerns about the effect that longlining has on seabirds.
It is estimated that, each year, tens of thousands of seabirds are drowned as they become ensnared on
longlines. I understand that there are a number of measures that vessels could take to reduce the risk of
bird bycatch. Has the Commission taken, or does it intend to take, any action to assess the need to
implement these measures?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2001)

The Commission has received several enquiries about this issue and it is increasingly aware of possible
problems regarding incidental catches of seabirds in longline fisheries. However not every longline fishery
requires the adoption of mitigation measures because incidental catch of seabirds does not occur
universally.

The Commission, after supporting the technical meetings that helped to define the Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) International Plan of Action (IPOA) for reducing incidental catches of seabirds in
longline fisheries (FAO-IPOA Seabirds), is currently drafting a Community action plan starting from the
information made available by the Member States in response to a questionnaire sent them in August
2000.

Wherever such problems are caused by Community fishermen, the Commission is willing to attempt to
find solutions. However, as far as the Commission is aware, and after receiving the first replies to the
above-mentioned questionnaire, the incidental catches of seabirds do not constitute a real threat within
Community waters. The main problems seem to be caused by non-Community vessels fishing either in
international waters or in their own waters. The Community has no direct legal power to control the
activities of non-Community vessels in these geographical areas.

The main concerns regard albatrosses and other species, essentially in the Southern Oceans.

To tackle this problem, the Community has already incorporated the following mitigation measures into
Community legislation (1) (2), using bird-scaring line with plastic streamers attached; weighting the lines so
that they sink faster and pose less risk; prohibiting the discharge of offal at sea, which attracts seabirds to
the lines; setting the longlines at night when albatrosses and other seabirds are less likely to be foraging;
using only thawed bait.

C 350 E/8

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

11.12.2001

These measures, which are compulsory for Community fishing companies, have been drawn up by the
Council for the Conservation of Antarctic Mar(cid:237)ne Living Resources (CCAMLR), which deals with Antarctic
waters, and of which the Community is a contracting party.

(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 66/98 of 18 December 1997 laying down certain conservation and control measures
applicable to fishing activities in the Antarctic and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2113/96 (OJ L 6, 10.1.1998).
(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 2479/98 of 12 November 1998 amending Regulation (EC) No 66/98 laying down
certain conservation and control measures applicable to fishing activities in the Antarctic (OJ L 309, 19.11.1998).

(2001/C 350 E/008)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4137/00

by Jeffrey Titford (EDD) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: Sea fishing with longlines

I am informed by those concerned about the danger to seabirds by the practice of fishing with longlines
that the following solutions could help to prevent deaths of tens of thousands of seabirds annually:

(cid:129) putting bird-scaring plastic streamers on the longlines;

(cid:129) weighting the lines so that they sink faster, thus reducing the risk of catching seabirds;

(cid:129) setting the line through a tube underwater so that birds on the surface cannot reach it;

(cid:129) prohibiting offal discharge by vessels, a practice which attracts seabirds to longlines;

(cid:129) setting longlines at night, when large albatrosses will not be foraging.

Is the European Commission considering adopting any, or all, of these measures or indeed any other
measures to reduce the danger posed to seabirds by the practice of fishing with longlines?

Is the European Commission able to take any practical steps to deal with the threats to seabirds from
(cid:145)pirate(cid:146) fishing?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2001)

To tackle the problem of incidental catches of sea birds in longline fisheries, the Community has already
incorporated the following mitigation measures into Community legislation (1) (2), using bird-scaring line
with plastic streamers attached; weighting the lines so that they sink faster and pose less risk; prohibiting
the discharge of offal at sea, which attracts seabirds to the lines; setting the longlines at night, when
albatrosses and other seabirds are less likely to be foraging; using only thawed bait.

These measures, which are compulsory for Community fishing companies, have been drawn up by the
Council for the Conservation of Antarctic Mar(cid:237)ne Living Resources (CCAMLR), which deals with Antarctic
waters, and of which the Community is a contracting party.

The setting of lines through tubes underwater is the only measure not foreseen in Community law, as the
same effect is obtained by weighting the lines and using thawed bait.

By their very nature,
fishing vessels. Several Regional Fisheries
Organisations as well as the Commission, which is a contracting party, are aware of the problem and are

little can be done against

(cid:145)pirate(cid:146)