CELEX: C2007/095/50
Language: en
Date: 2007-04-28 00:00:00
Title: Case C-109/07: Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Prud'homie de pêche de Martigues (France) lodged on 20.2.2007 — Jonathan Pilato v Jean-Claude Bourgault

28.4.2007   
            
            
               EN
            
            
               Official Journal of the European Union
            
            
               C 95/27
            
         Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Prud'homie de pêche de Martigues (France) lodged on 20.2.2007 — Jonathan Pilato v Jean-Claude Bourgault
   (Case C-109/07)
   (2007/C 95/50)
   Language of the case: French
   Referring court
   Prud'homie de pêche de Martigues (France)
   Parties to the main proceedings
   
      Applicant: Jonathan Pilato
   
      Defendant: Jean-Claude Bourgault
   Questions referred
   
               1.
            
            
               Should Article 11a of Council Regulation (EC) No 894/97 (1) of 29 April 1997, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1239/98 (2) of 8 June 1998, be interpreted as also prohibiting nets which do not drift or hardly drift by reason of a floating anchor to which they are attached?
            
         
               2.
            
            
               Is Article 11a(1) and (2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 894/97, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1239/98 of 8 June 1998, valid to the extent to which:
               
                           a)
                        
                        
                           it appears to pursue a strictly environmental objective, although the legal basis on which it is founded is Article 43 of the EC Treaty (now Article 37 EC);
                        
                     
                           b)
                        
                        
                           it does not define a drift-net and therefore does not clearly define the scope of that term;
                        
                     
                           c)
                        
                        
                           it is not clearly reasoned;
                        
                     
                           d)
                        
                        
                           it does not take account of available scientific and technical data, of the environmental conditions in the various regions of the Community, or of the benefits or costs which arise from the prohibition which it establishes;
                        
                     
                           e)
                        
                        
                           it is disproportionate to the objective being pursued;
                        
                     
                           f)
                        
                        
                           it is discriminatory since it treats very different geographic, economic and social situations in the same fashion;
                        
                     
                           g)
                        
                        
                           it does not establish any exemption for small-time fishermen who fish with devices such as the ‘thonaille’, which, apart from the fact that it is traditional in the Mediterranean, is vital for that part of the population who practise it, and is, moreover, very selective?
                        
                     
         
      (1)  Council Regulation (EC) No 894/97 of 29 April 1997 laying down certain technical measures for conservation of fishery resources (OJ L 1997 132, p. 1).
   
      (2)  Council Regulation (EC) No 1239/98 of 8 June 1998, amending Regulation (EC) No 894/97 laying down certain technical measures for conservation of fishery resources (OJ L 1998 171, p. 1).