CELEX: 51996PC0660
Language: en
Date: 1996-12-12
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) allocating for 1997 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Latvian waters

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                      Brussels, 12.12.1996
                                      COM(96) 660 final
                       Proposal for a
             COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
allocating for 1997 catch quotas between Member States
           for vessels fishing in Latvian waters
              (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                              EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Consultations between the Community and Latvia took place in Brussels from 7 to 8
November 1996 and resulted in an agreement defining a reciprocal fisheries arrangement for
 1997.
These consultations were held on the basis of the new framework Agreement on Fisheries
Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia, concluded on ....
                   This new Agreement, on the date of its entry into force, replaces the previous
fisheries agreements concluded with Latvia by the Community, as constituted before
enlargement, and by Sweden and Finland respectively.
Taking into account that the annual consultations occurred prior to the ratification of the
Agreement on Fisheries Relations being terminated, the fisheries arrangement agreed for 1997
will only be implemented from the date of its entry into force.
The fisheries arrangement for 1997 provides for, inter alia, certain catch quotas for
Community vessels in the Latvian fishing zone in the framework of the exchange of fishing
possibilities and reciprocal access quotas.
The purpose of this proposal for a regulation is to allocate among Member States the quotas
available in 1997 to Community vessels fishing in the Latvian zone under the above mentioned
arrangement.
The fisheries arrangement agreed with Latvia for 1997 has been negotiated on behalf of the
enlarged Community. The fishing possibilities now obtained by the enlarged Community are
distributed among Member States on the basis of the traditional fishing pattern in the Baltic
Sea before the entry into force of the new Agreement, when Denmark, Finland, Germany and
Sweden were the only Member States with fishing rights in the region. Therefore,'the fishing
possibilities cannot be considered as "new" in the sense of Article 8 of Regulation (EEC)
No 3760/92, as they result from the amalgamation of the existing fishing possibilities under
the previous fisheries agreements concluded with Latvia by the Community, as constituted
before enlargement, and by Sweden and Finland respectively.
As a consequence of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the European
Union, in particular Article 121, paragraph 1, footnote 9 of the table, Member States of the
Community, as constituted before enlargement, have been compensated for their lower share
of the cod stock up to the level required by the Council Declaration.
Latvia is compensated for the quotas obtained in its waters by way of a financial contribution
of ECU 534,300, in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations
between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia.
                                             I
 ---pagebreak---                                             Proposal for a
                         COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No
                                       of ....
                  allocating for 1997 catch quotas between Member States
                              for vessels fishing in Latvian waters
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
 Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
 Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing
 a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture*1}, as amended by the Act of Accession of
 Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof,
 Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
 Whereas, in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Agreement on Fisheries
 Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia(2), concluded on ....
                 , and in particular Articles 3 and 6 thereof, the Community and Latvia have
held consultations concerning their mutual fishing rights for 1997 and the management of
common living resources;
Whereas, in the course of these consultations, the delegations agreed to recommend to their
respective authorities that certain catch quotas for 1997 should be fixed for the vessels of the
other Party;
Whereas the necessary measures should be taken to implement, for 1997, the results of the
consultations held with Latvia;
Whereas to ensure efficient management of the catch possibilities available in Latvian waters,
quotas should be allocated among Member States in accordance with Article 8 of Council
Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92;
Whereas the fishing activities covered by this Regulation are subject to the control measures
provided for by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a
control system applicable to the common fisheries policy(3);
Whereas additional conditions for the year-to-year management of TACs and quotas, in
accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC)
No 847/96(4), were not agreed with Latvia,
(i)     OJNoL 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1.
(2)
        OJNoC 276, 21.9.1996, p. 8.
(3)
        OJ No L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1.
(4)
        OJ No L 115, 9.5.1996, p. 3.
                                                3
 ---pagebreak--- HAS ADOPTED THIS KIXHJLATION:
                                          Article 1
From 1 January to 31 December 1997 vessels flying the flag of a Member State are hereby
authorised to make catches within the quota limits set out in the Annex in waters falling within
the fisheries jurisdiction of Latvia.
                                          Article 2
The financial contribution provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations
between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia shall be set for the period
referred to in Article 1 at ECU 534,300, payable to an account designated by Latvia.
                                          Article 3
Stocks referred to in the Annex shall not be subject to the conditions stipulated in Articles 2,
3 and 5 (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96.
                                          Article 4
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1997.
        This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member
        Slates.
        Done at Brussels,
                                                             For the Council
                                                             The President
                                                4-
 ---pagebreak---                                         ANNEX
          Allocation of Community catch quotas in Latvian waters for 1997
     (in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish)
                           ICES           Community               Quotas allocated
    Species
                         division        catch quotas            to Member States
       Cod                  Hid                ,073         Denmark                 (480)
                                                            Finland                  (25)
                                                            Germany                 (210)
                                                            Sweden                  (358)
      Icrrmg                  lid             1,200         Denmark                 (300)
                                                            Finland                 (150)
                                                            ( icrmany               (230)
                                                            Sweden                  (520)
    Salmon                  Hid              6,000(,)       Denmark            (1,625) (,)
                                                            Finland            (2,025) (,)
                                                            Germany              (180) (l)
                                                            Sweden             (2,170)(1)
       Sprat                Hid               19,500        Denmark              (6,170)
                                                             Finland             (2,500)
                                                             Germany             ( 1,640)
                                                             Sweden              (9,190)
(i)
       Number of individual fish.
 ---pagebreak---                      FINANCIAL STATEMENT
1. TITLE:          Proposal for a Council Regulation allocating for 1997 catch quotas
                   between Member States for vessels fishing in Latvian waters.
2. BUDGETARY LINE CONCERNED:                     B7-800
3. LEGAL BASIS:           Article 8 (4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92
4. DESCRIPTION:
   4;1     General objectives:
           •       maintain and develop the traditional activity of Community fishermen
                   in Latvian waters;
           •       supply the Community market; and
           •       decrease the fishing effort in Community waters.
   4.2     Period covered:        Year 1997
5. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE:
   5.1*- DO
   5.2     CD
6. TYPE OF EXPENDITURE:
   Financial compensation paid for fishing possibilities in Latvian waters.
7. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES:                       ECU 534,300
   The financial compensation provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement has been
   negotiated on the basis of average landing prices for 1995 in Community ports in the
   Baltic Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated fleet exploitation costs for each
   of the species.
 ---pagebreak---         7.1      Method of calculation:
                                        COD          SALMON            HERRING          SPRAT
                                                          30
  Quota obtained (in tonnes)            1,200                             1,200          19,500
                                                    (6,000 units)
  Weighted average landing prices
                                         967            2,906            152.74          81.83
  1995 (ECU/tonne)
  Market value (in ECUs)              1,160,400        87,180           183,288        1,595,685
  Negotiated (percentage)                25%            25%              12.5%           12.5%
  In ECUs                              290,100         21,795            22,908         199,485
                     Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 534,300
                                  Average price ECU/tonne: 24.36
        ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS:
        The financial contribution granted by the Community is utilised by Latvia to develop
        bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of fisheries in accordance with Article
        4 of the Agreement. The amount is administered by the National Board of Fisheries
        of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia.
        ELEMENTS OF COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS:
        The Community fleet in the Baltic Sea has been severely hit by reductions in catch
        possibilities, mainly due to biological factors (low salinity of the water and the M-74
        disease) and pollution of the water. Any increase in fishing possibilities above current
        critical catch levels will contribute towards preventing the fleet, and connected
        industries and services ashore, from collapsing and disappearing. This will also avoid,
        to a certain extent, payments under lay-up schemes or social programmes
        Experience has taught us that the financial compensation, similar to that paid in 1996,
        has mainly been used by Latvia for the continued improvement of scientific research
        on fisheries and the training of fisheries managers. This has entailed improved
        scientific assessment and enforcement in the fishery zone of Latvia and has contributed
        to a more rational exploitation of the stocks, to the benefit of all concerned in the
        Baltic Sea.
        The expenses proposed are foreseen in the budgetary planning for the period
        concerned.
10.     ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:
        The proposal does not require new Commission staff or additional administrative costs.
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                   ISSN 0254-1475
                                                           COM(96) 660 final
                                             DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                  03   11 01
                                    Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-672-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-78-13320-5
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