WRITTEN QUESTION E-1463/01 by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Council. Illegal fishing in Mauritania's EEZ.
Date: 2001-05-21
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Mauritania, fishing agreement, fishing controls, fishing industry, illicit trade

C 81 E/26

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

(2002/C 81 E/032)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1463/01

by Robert Goebbels (PSE) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Illegal fishing in Mauritania(cid:146)s EEZ

I recently returned from a visit to Mauritania, where I met the country(cid:146)s Minister for Fisheries. Mr Zamel
complained bitterly that 30 to 40 boats regularly operate illegally inside the country(cid:146)s exclusive economic
zone. These vessels, most of which are from Asian countries, apparently use the Spanish port of Las
Palmas as a base, even to unload fish illegally caught in Mauritanian waters. These illegal fishermen would
therefore seem to be competing unfairly with European fishermen, who operate in the Mauritanian EEZ
within the framework of the existing fishery agreement.

Can the Council confirm this information received in Mauritania? What steps does it intend to take to stop
this illegal trade and hence contribute to sustainable protection of Mauritania(cid:146)s fishery resources?

Reply

(20 November 2001)

The Council is fully aware of the problem of illegal fishing in general and of that in the Mauritanian
exclusive economic zone in particular, and shares the Honourable Member(cid:146)s concerns on this issue.

Combating illegal fishing is a matter of constant concern to the Council, which actively supports the
initiatives taken in this area by international bodies and the various regional fisheries organisations.

In this context,
it is worth bearing in mind the forthcoming adoption by the FAO Council of the
international action plan to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, in the preparation of which
the Community played an active role. This action plan also contains a chapter on measures which are the
responsibility of port States to prevent the landing of illegally caught fish.

With specific regard to Mauritania, the Community has just begun negotiations with this country aimed at
renewing the current fisheries protocol which is due to expire on 31 July 2001.

As with the fisheries protocols recently concluded between the Community and other third countries, the
Community will endeavour,
in line with the Council conclusions of 30 October 1997 on European
Community Fisheries Agreements with Third Countries, to persuade the Mauritanian authorities to devote
a significant amount of the financial compensation received to measures enabling it to strengthen its
monitoring and control facilities.

(2002/C 81 E/033)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1466/01

by Guido Podest(cid:224) (PPE-DE) to the Council

(21 May 2001)

Subject: Aggression against cultural traditions in Afghanistan

The destruction of the pre-Islamic statues of Buddha dating back to the second century BC is not only an
attack on mankind(cid:146)s cultural heritage, perpetuating a cultural disaster which started with the damage
inflicted on the archaeological finds in the museum of Kabul, it is also a symptom of a form of fanaticism
which goes way beyond religious feeling and threatens to continue, regardless of the many appeals
launched from various parts of the world.

What action will the Council take to safeguard the artistic and cultural heritage threatened by the present
regime in Afghanistan?