2002/70/EC: Council Decision of 28 January 2002 amending Decision 97/413/EC concerning the objectives and detailed rules for restructuring the Community fisheries sector for the period from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2001 with a view to achieving a balance on a sustainable basis between resources and their exploitation

Council Decision
of 28 January 2002
amending Decision 97/413/EC concerning the objectives and detailed rules for restructuring the Community fisheries sector for the period from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2001 with a view to achieving a balance on a sustainable basis between resources and their exploitation
(2002/70/EC)
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), and in particular Article 11 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(2),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(3),
Whereas:
(1) The Common Fisheries Policy will be reviewed before 1 January 2003. In order to ensure consistency between the policy for restructuring the fisheries sector and the rest of the Common Fisheries Policy it is therefore necessary to prolong the period of application of Decision 97/413/EC(4) until 31 December 2002.
(2) In order to make further progress towards achieving a balance between fisheries resources and their exploitation, the fishing effort of the Community fleet should continue to be reduced during the prolongation year.
(3) Measures to improve safety, navigation at sea, hygiene, product quality and working conditions should not lead to an increase in fishing effort and such measures should therefore be applied within the existing capacity objectives for the fleet, with the exception of vessels already registered of an overall length of less than 12 metres other than trawlers.
(4) Decision 97/413/EC should therefore be amended accordingly,