European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European Eel (COM(2005)0472 - C6-0326/2005 - 2005/0201(CNS))
Date: 2006-05-16
Institutions: Committee on Fisheries, European Parliament
Subjects: common fisheries policy, conservation of fish stocks, fish, fishery management, fishing regulations, protection of animal life

7.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 297 E/113

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

P6_TA(2006)0200

Recovery of the stock of European Eel *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation establishing
measures for the recovery of the stock of European Eel (COM(2005)0472 — C6-0326/2005 —
2005/0201(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2005)0472) (1),

— having regard to Article 37 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament

(C6-0326/2005),

— having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries (A6-0140/2006);

1. Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4. Calls for initiation of the conciliation procedure under the Joint Declaration of 4 March 1975 if the
Council intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5. Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substan-
tially;

6.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 1

Recital 4a (new)

(4a) On 15 November 2005 the European Parliament
adopted a resolution on the development of a Community
Action Plan for the recovery of European eels (2) calling on
the Commission to immediately submit a proposal for a regu-
lation for the recovery of European eel stocks.

(2) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2005)0425.

Amendment 2

Recital 8

(8) The success of measures for the recovery of the European
eel stock depends on close cooperation and coherent action at
Community, Member State and local level as well as on infor-
mation, consultation and involvement of the public sectors
involved.

(8) The success of measures for the recovery of the European
eel stock depends on close cooperation and coherent action at
Community, Member State and local and regional level as well
as on information, consultation and involvement of the public
sectors involved.

(1) Not yet published in OJ.

C 297 E/114

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Official Journal of the European Union

7.12.2006

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 3

Recital 10

(10) Within a river basin where fisheries and other human
activities affecting eels may have transboundary effects, all
programmes and measures should be coordinated for
the
whole of the relevant river basin. For river basins extending
beyond the boundaries of the Community, the Community
should endeavour to ensure appropriate coordination with the
third countries concerned. However, the need for such coordi-
nation should not prevent urgent action being taken by
Member States.

(10) Within a river basin where fisheries and other human
activities affecting eels may have transboundary effects, all
programmes and measures should be coordinated for
the
whole of the relevant river basin. However, coordination must
not take place at the expense of the rapid introduction of the
national parts of Eel Management Plans. For river basins
extending beyond the boundaries of the Community, the Com-
munity should endeavour to ensure appropriate coordination
with the third countries concerned. In the context of interna-
tional coordination, both within the Community and outside
it, special attention should be devoted to the Baltic Sea and
European coastal waters falling outside the scope of Directive
2000/60/EC. However, the need for such coordination should
not prevent urgent action being taken by Member States.

Amendment 4

Recital 10a (new)

(10a) As, naturally, many of the arriving glass eels are lost,
the Commission should without delay investigate how
Europe's aquaculture could be involved in the recovery of
European eel stocks, inter alia by means of continued rearing
of glass eels which have been caught, until they develop into
yellow eels and are used to restock European inland waters
communicating with the sea.

Amendment 5

Recital 10b (new)

(10b)
In the context of the recovery of the European eel
stock, it is noted that the glass eel is particularly vulnerable
because large quantities of glass eels are exported. Special
measures to increase the numbers of glass eels released into
European waters should therefore be implemented.

Amendment 6

Article 2

From the first to the fifteenth day of each month it shall be
prohibited to fish for, land or retain eel of the species Angu-
illa anguilla.

The fishing season shall be shortened so that fishing effort is
reduced by half.

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 297 E/115

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 7

Article 3, introductory wording

By way of derogation from Article 2, until 30 June 2007 it
shall be permitted to fish for, to retain and to land eel of the
species Anguilla anguilla from the first to the fifteenth day of
each month provided that:

By way of derogation from Article 2, until 30 June 2007 it
shall be permitted to fish for, to retain and to land eel of the
species Anguilla anguilla outside the fishing season laid down
provided that:

Amendment 8

Article 3, point (b)

(b) all

the eel captured are released into European inland
the purpose of
to the sea for

waters having access
increasing the escapement levels of adult silver eels

(b) all the eel captured:

— are released into European inland waters having access
to the sea for the purpose of increasing the escapement
levels of adult silver eels or

— are used for aquaculture in the European Union,
subject to the condition that a percentage, to be deter-
mined by the Commission, of the eel used in aquacul-
ture is used for the breeding of and restocking with
yellow eels in European inland waters communicating
with the sea, in order to increase the escape rate of
mature silver eels; and

Amendment 9

Article 3, point (b a) (new)

(ba) Member States adopt extra measures to obstruct as
little as possible the natural migration of glass eels
during certain periods.

Amendment 10

Article 4, paragraph 1

1.
If existing national measures already ensure, for specified
river basins, that the objective referred to in Article 6(4) is met,
the Member State concerned may submit a request for exemp-
tion until 30 June 2007 from the measures provided for in
Article 2 for those basins.

1.
If existing national measures already ensure, for specified
river basins, that the objective referred to in Article 6(4) is met,
the Member State concerned may submit a request for exemp-
tion until 30 June 2008 from the measures provided for in
Article 2 for those basins.

Amendment 11

Article 4a (new)

Article 4a

Additional protection for glass eels

Fishing for eels less than 12 cm long is allowed, providing
one of the following requirements is fulfilled:
(a) most of the eels caught are used to restock European
inland waters communicating with the sea, in order to
increase the escape rate of mature silver eels;

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Official Journal of the European Union

7.12.2006

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

(b) eels caught for aquaculture in the European Union are
subject to the condition that a percentage, to be deter-
mined by the Commission, of the eel used in aquaculture
is used for rearing eel fry and restocking European
inland waters communicating with the sea, in order to
increase the escape rate of mature silver eels.

If a Member State so wishes, the Commission may also insti-
tute a quota for exports of glass eels, provided that this does
not violate the sustainability criterion or the recovery of the
stock of European eel.

If in a Member State or region the catch of glass eel is used
for consumption, the Commission may allow this provided
that this does not violate the sustainability criterion.

Amendment 12

Article 5

By way of derogation from Article 2, from 1 July 2007 it shall
be permitted to fish for, to retain and to land eel of the
species Anguilla anguilla from the first to the fifteenth day
of each month provided that such fisheries conform to the
specifications and restrictions set out in an Eel Management
Plan.

By way of derogation from Article 2, from 1 July 2008 fish-
eries shall conform to the specifications and restrictions set
out in an Eel Management Plan.

Amendment 13

Article 5, paragraph 1 a (new)

For Member States which, before 31 December 2006, have
submitted an Eel Management Plan to the Commission for
approval, the effect of Article 2 shall be suspended until the
Commission takes a definitive decision.

Amendment 14

Article 6, paragraph 1

1. Member States shall
identify and define the individual
river basins lying within their national territory that, prior to
human intervention, constituted natural habitats for the Euro-
pean eel (‘eel river basins’).

1. Member States shall
identify and define the individual
river basins lying within their national territory that, prior to
human intervention, constituted natural habitats for the Euro-
pean eel (‘eel river basins’). A Member State may opt justifi-
ably to designate the whole of its national territory or an
existing regional administrative unit as one river basin.

Amendment 15

Article 6, paragraph 2

2.
In defining eel river basins, Member States shall have due
regard to the administrative arrangements referred to in Article
3 of Directive 2000/60/EC.

2.
In defining eel river basins, Member States shall have the
maximum possible regard to the administrative arrangements
referred to in Article 3 of Directive 2000/60/EC.

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 297 E/117

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 16

Article 6, paragraph 3a (new)

3a. Member States shall implement in river basins an Eel
Management Plan which will ensure the effective recovery of
eel stocks. The Member States shall propose the river basins
which are to be the subject of those intervention plans.

Amendment 17

Article 6, paragraph 3b (new)

3b. Management plans for river basins shared between
one or more Member States shall be drawn up jointly and
submitted to the Commission.

Amendment 18

Article 6, paragraph 4

4.
The objective of each Eel Management Plan shall be, for
each eel river basin, to permit with high probability the escape-
ment to the sea of at least 40 % of the biomass of adult eel
relative to the best estimate of the potential escapement from
the river basin in the absence of human activities affecting the
fishing area or the stock.

4.
The objective of each Eel Management Plan shall be, for
each eel river basin, to permit with high probability the escape-
ment to the sea of a high percentage of the biomass of adult
eel relative to the best estimate of the potential escapement
from the river basin, taking into account all the human activ-
ities affecting the fishing area or the stock.

Amendment 19

Article 6, paragraph 5 a (new)

The European Union shall support measures allowing

5a.
the restocking of river basins in the various Member States.

Amendment 20

Article 6, paragraph 5 b (new)

The European Union shall support measures to aid the
5b.
construction and/or adaptation of barrier-crossing mechan-
isms to prevent migration along rivers from being compro-
mised.

Amendment 21

Article 7, paragraph 1

1. Member States shall communicate by 31 December 2006
to the Commission all
individual Eel Management Plans
prepared in accordance with Article 6.

1. Member States shall communicate by 30 June 2007 to
the Commission all individual Eel Management Plans prepared
in accordance with Article 6.

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Tuesday, 16 May 2006

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 22

Article 7, paragraph 3

3. Member States shall
Plans approved under paragraph 2 from 1 July 2007.

implement

the Eel Management

the Eel Management
3. Member States shall
Plans approved under paragraph 2 from 1 July 2008, or from
the earliest feasible time before that date.

implement

Amendment 23

Article 8, paragraph 1

For eel river basins extending to the territory of more
the Member States involved shall

1.
than one Member State,
jointly prepare an Eel Management Plan.

For eel river basins extending to the territory of more
1.
than one Member State,
the Member States involved shall
jointly prepare an Eel Management Plan. If coordination is in
danger of resulting in such a delay that it will become impos-
sible to submit the Management Plan on time, Member
States may submit Management Plans for their national part
of the river basin.

Amendment 24

Article 8, paragraph 2

2. Where an eel river basin extends beyond the territory of
the Community, the Member States involved shall endeavour
to develop an Eel Management Plan in coordination with the
relevant third countries.

2. Where an eel river basin extends beyond the territory of
the Community, the Member States involved shall endeavour
to develop an Eel Management Plan in coordination with the
relevant third countries. In this connection, special attention
shall be devoted to the Baltic Sea and European coastal
waters falling outside the scope of Directive 2000/60/EC.

Amendment 25

Article 8a (new)

Article 8a

Special measures in respect of glass eels

As part of the plan for recovery of the European eel stock,
the Commission shall draw up special measures to ensure an
increase in the number of glass eels released, focusing on the
problems caused by large-scale exports of glass eels.

Amendment 26

Article 9, paragraph 1

1.
For each Eel Management Plan, each Member State shall
report to the Commission by 31 December 2009 on the moni-
toring, effectiveness and outcome of the plan, and in particu-
lar shall estimate for each river basin that proportion of the
biomass of the eel that escape to the sea to spawn relative to
the escapement achieved in the absence of fishing or other
human activities affecting the fishery or the stock.

1.
For each Eel Management Plan, each Member State shall
report to the Commission by 31 December 2009 on the moni-
toring, effectiveness and outcome of the plan.

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 297 E/119

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Tuesday, 16 May 2006

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 27

Article 9, paragraph 2

2.
The Commission shall, by 1 July 2010, present a report
to the European Parliament and the Council with a statistical
and scientific evaluation of the outcome of the implementation
of the Eel Management Plans accompanied by the opinion of
the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries.

2.
The Commission shall, by 1 July 2011, present a report
to the European Parliament and the Council with a statistical
and scientific evaluation of the outcome of the implementation
of the Eel Management Plans accompanied by the opinion of
the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries.

Amendment 28

Article 9, paragraph 3a (new)

The Commission shall before 1 January 2007 deter-
3a.
mine, in consultation with the ICES, the European Inland
Fisheries Advisory Commission, the Member States and the
fishing industry, whether the norm laid down in Article 6(4)
is sufficiently measurable and applicable in practice, after
which the Commission shall, if necessary, submit a modified
or adjusted proposal.

Amendment 29

Article 11, paragraph 1

This Regulation shall enter
into force on the third day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union.

This Regulation shall enter
into force on the third day
following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Union, but not before 1 January 2007.

P6_TA(2006)0201

EC-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement *

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on the conclu-
sion of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom
of Morocco (COM(2005)0692 — C6-0040/2006 — 2005/0280(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council regulation (COM(2005)0692) (1),

— having regard to Articles 37 and 300(2) of the EC Treaty,

— having regard to Article 300(3), first subparagraph, of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council

consulted Parliament (C6-0040/2006),

(1) Not yet published in OJ.