CELEX: 31985D0283
Language: en
Date: 1985-04-24 00:00:00
Title: 85/283/EEC: Commission Decision of 24 April 1985 on the multiannual guidance programme in respect of the fishing fleet submitted by Greece pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2908/83

No L 157 / 16                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                 15 . 6. 85
                                                 COMMISSION DECISION
                                                        of 24 April 1985
                 on the multiannual guidance programme in respect of the fishing fleet submitted by
                                   Greece pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2908/83
                                                (Only the Greek text is authentic)
                                                        (85/283 / EEC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN                                       tion , pointing out that the age and inadequate equip­
COMMUNITIES,                                                         ment of the middle-water fleet warrant the construction
                                                                     of new vessels, offset by equivalent overall with­
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European                drawals, and the modernization of existing vessels ;
Economic Community,
                                                                     Whereas the programme may, having regard to produc­
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2908/                   tion potential , the measures for the conservation and
83 of 4 October 1983 on a common measure for restruc­                management of fish stocks, the demand for the
turing, modernizing and developing the fishing                       products concerned and the guidelines of the common
industry and for developing aquaculture ('), and in                  fisheries policy, constitute a suitable framework for
particular Article 5 thereof,                                        projects which may qualify for financial support from
                                                                     the Community ;
Whereas on 12 December 1984, the Greek Government
forwarded a multiannual guidance programme in                        Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are
respect of the fishing industry, hereinafter referred to as          in accordance with the opinion of the Standing
'the programme'; whereas on 11 February 1985 , it                    Committee for the Fishing Industry,
forwarded the latest additional information concerning
the programme ;
                                                                     HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
Whereas, in accordance with the first paragraph of
Article 3 of Regulation (EEC) No 2908/83 , the time
required for the execution of the programme covers at                                         Article 1
least the proposed duration of the common measure ;
                                                                     The multiannual guidance programme in respect of the
Whereas the programme contains the information                       fishing fleet forwarded by the Greek Government on
referred to in Article 4 of the Regulation ;                         12 December 1984, as last supplemented on
                                                                     1 1 February 1985 , the main features of which are set
Whereas the Greek fishing fleet is characterized by                  out in Annex I hereto, is hereby approved subject to the
considerable obsolescence in particular as regards dates             provisions set out in Annex II hereto.
of hull construction ; whereas, in order to ensure that
the fishing fleet is restructured in a rational manner, the                                   Article 2
programme provides for fleet renewal, without any
significant increase in overall tonnage, at a rate com­             This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic.
patible with the medium-term prospects for the exploi­
tation of fish stocks ; whereas, the principal aims of
renewal are to improve working conditions, and the                   Done at Brussels, 24 April 1985
conditions for processing and conserving catches, and
to diversify fishing methods ;                                                                           For the Commission
                                                                                                         Frans ANDRIESSEN
Whereas the programme lays special emphasis on
middle-water fishing, the main source of Greek produc­                                                      Vice-President
(') OJ No L 290, 22. 10. 1983 , p. 1 .
 ---pagebreak--- 15 . 6 . 85                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                   No L 157/ 17
                                                               ANNEX 1
            MAIN FEATURES OF THE MULTIANNUAL GUIDANCE PROGRAMME IN RESPECT OF THE
            FISHING FLEET DRAWN UP BY THE GREEK GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF
                                            COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2908/83
            1.     Purpose of the programme
                   Restructuring of the fishing fleet by replacement of obsolete vessels and the modernization of
                   vessels in use .
            2.     Areas concerned
                   The territory of Greece.
            3.     Duration
                   The programme is valid until 31 December 1988.
            4.     Objective of the programme
                   The objective of the programme is to :
                   — stabilize the capacity of the fleet in the medium term whilst taking account of the need for the
                       Greek fleet to extend its activities from its present fishing zones to more distant waters in the
                       Mediterranean , Aegean and Ionian Seas ;
                   — make energy savings and widen the fleet's field of activity ;
                   — improve working and safety conditions on board ;
                   — improve on-board storage and handing of catches with a view to improving catch quality and
                      thus increasing economic efficiency.
            5.     The following measures are proposed to attain this objective
            5.1 .  Construction
                   — attainment of an overall tonnage and total engine capacity of 124 000 grt and 683 000 hp
                      respectively by 31 December 1988, i.e. an increase of roughly 6 000 grt and 84 000 hp
                      compared with the position at 31 December 1983 ,
                   — monitoring of additions to and withdrawals from the fleet,
                   — promotion of permanent withdrawal from fishing activity, without replacement, by applying a
                       system of final cessation premiums under Directive 83/515/ EEC.
            5.2.   Modernization
                   — fuel-saving by replacement of engines,
                   — installation of refrigerating equipment to improve on-board storage of catches,
                   — installation of safety, navigation and fish-finding equipment.
            6.     Estimated investments required to attain the objective set out in point 4 above
            6. 1 . For vessel construction
                                                                        Situation 1983             Situation 1988
                                    Type of fishery
                                                                      grt             hp         grt             hp
                   Inshore                                          68 217         387 390      69 217        404 390
                   Middle-water                                     35 157         182 360      41 632        250 985
                   Distant-water                                     15 500         29 438      13 500         27 438
                                                       Total       118 874         599 188     124 349        682 813
 ---pagebreak--- No L 157 / 18                       Official Journal of the European Communities                                   15 . 6. 85
                  These forecasts should be reached in equal stages.
                                                                New vessels
                                Type of fishery                  (number)      Average change    Average change
                                                              (replacements)   in hp per vessel  in grt per vessel
                  Inshore                                           200             + 79               +  10
                  Middle-water
                  — Trawlers/ combination                           100             + 228              + 60
                  — Seiners                                          50             + 120              + 41
                  — Distant-water                                    20             - 100              - 100
            6.2 . For vessel modernization
                  The plan is for 800 vessels to be modernized between 1984 and 1988 (550 middle-water and
                  distant-water and 250 inshore vessels).
             7.   Investment forecasts (million ECU)
                  Total planned investments ( 1984 to 1988):
                  — for new vessels : 125 million ECU,
                  — for modernization : 81,5 million ECU.
                  Planned annual national aid for construction and modernization : 8,26 million ECU.
                  These financial estimates and the allocation among the various measures, are intended only as a
                  guide.
 ---pagebreak--- 15 . 6. 85                        Official Journal of the European Communities                                     No L 157/ 19
                                                        ANNEX II
                                                  FINAL CONCLUSIONS
           1. The Commission considers that the programme submitted by the Greek Government as a frame­
              work for future Community or national financing schemes, constitutes an initial measure,
              following the adoption of the common fisheries policy, to restructure the fleet in the medium­
              term, to ensure satisfactory economic conditions for the fishing industry and to improve the
              incomes of those employed in it.
              Given the situation of the fishing industry in Greece, its level of output and the lack of reliable
              data on fish stocks, the capacity target appears somewhat optimistic. The Greek authorities will
              therefore have to institute as soon as possible a system for monitoring fleet additions and with­
              drawals involving continuous surveillance of initiative as regards construction of new vessels and
              modernization of existing ones. The arrangements for applying this system must be notified to the
              Commission in the framework of the annual review of the programme. The Commission
              considers that the system should include a procedure to monitor the effects of vessel moderniza­
              tion on capacity.
              Furthermore, any changes in engine power must be monitored to avoid the risk of an uncon­
              trolled increase in fishing effort.
              With regard to the restructuring of the distant water fishery, the Commission approves the inten­
              tion of the Hellenic authorities of limiting the entry into service of new vessels replacing existing
              vessels to four boats per year (1 200 grt) from 1984. Moreover, taking account of the present
              situation with regard to fishing agreements between the Community and third countries
              concerned, it agrees that the situation should be reviewed in the light of experience acquired.
           2. The Commission points out that the investment requirement contained in this programme does
              not imply any commitment as regards financial support from the Community.
           3. The Commission considers that the programme targets and their attainment should form the
              subject of a more detailed analysis within the framework of the annual review referred to in
              Article 6 of Regulation ( EEC) No 2908 /83 with particular regard to stock evaluation studies
              being carried out at present. Moreover, it intends to reserve the right to return to the present
              decision at the end of 1986, within the framework of the annual review, in particular with regard
              to that of the distant water fleet, in the light of the development of the economic and structural
              situation of fishing enterprises in Greece.