WRITTEN QUESTION E-1606/02 by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission. Death of dolphins.
Date: 2002-06-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU environmental policy, by-catch, environmental impact, environmental research, fishing net, marine mammal, protection of animal life

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/143

for

the proposal

a Decision 1346/2001/EC (2)

the
Lastly,
European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 1996 on Community guidelines for the development
of the trans-European transport network (3), which Parliament is currently examining, was drawn up on the
basis of proposals from the Member States concerned and updates the Annex I maps, including those of
the Spanish rail network. The line Canfranc-Huesca-Zaragoza-Teruel
forms part of that network and
contributes substantially to Teruel province’s isolation as referred to by the Honourable Member.

amending Decision 1692/96/EC of

(1) COM(2001) 24 final.
(2) OJ C 362 E, 18.12.2001.
(3) OJ L 228, 9.9.1996.

(2002/C 309 E/166)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1606/02

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(5 June 2002)

Subject: Death of dolphins

In the Commission’s view, is it likely that the number of dolphins caught and killed annually in EU waters
as a by-catch of commercial fishing currently exceeds the benchmark of 1,7 % of population defined in the
Habitats Directive as ‘unacceptable’?

Does the Commission have concerns about the effect of pair trawling in the light of reports for albacore
tuna that in 1999 a catch of 30 dolphins was recorded in a single net haul?

What research is the Commission currently undertaking in this field, and what steps does it propose to
take in order to ensure that the number of dolphins caught in EU waters does not exceed sustainable
levels?

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(28 June 2002)

According to the reports of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, it is difficult to
estimate accurately the rate of deaths of dolphins during fishing operations, due to the lack of detailed
knowledge on the structure of their populations. However, these reports also point to the fact that the
current deaths are not putting dolphin populations in immediate risk. The attention of the Honourable
Member is called to the fact that the ‘Habitats Directive’ (1) does not define acceptable death rates, but just
refers to ‘favourable conservation status’ or ‘significant negative impact on the species’.

This being said, even if there appears to be no immediate risk for dolphins, the Commission is highly
concerned about the deaths of these animals, in particular due to the effect of pelagic pair trawls as
suggested by the Honourable Member. It is taking steps to collect detailed scientific advice on this and
other related questions concerning the by-catch of cetaceans in fishing operations, with a view to making
legislative proposals to alleviate this problem later this year.

Although the undertaking of research in this field is a competence and an obligation for Member States,
the Commission, as part of the aforementioned initiatives, is promoting this activity by putting it amongst
the priorities for research funding.

(1) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,

OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.