10 June Fisheries Council

Date: 13/06/1996

EU fisheries ministers attacked plans for sweeping cuts in the capacity of the Union's fishing fleet. As expected, the UK insisted the Union should first deal with the issue of “quota hoppers”. British Fisheries Minister Tony Baldry said he had made it clear “that the UK would accept no further reduction to its fleet as long as there had been no solution found to quota hoppers”. He claimed it was easier for countries like Spain to reach their targets because some of their fleet was able to transfer and use the British quota. Other ministers, including those from France and Portugal, said the proposed cuts were excessive and more should be done to cushion the effects on fishing communities. Irish Minister Sean Barrett, whose country takes over the presidency next month, said the proposal was too vague, while the Spanish stressed the new programme must take account of achievements under the last Multi-Annual Guidance Programme. But Germany and Denmark gave broad backing to the principle of the scheme. The Commission will now begin bilateral talks with member states on agreeing national targets and hopes for a framework agreement at October's Council.

MINISTERS agreed the Union allocation of a 27,000-tonne redfish quota managed under the North East Atlantic Fisheries Convention (NEAFC), although the UK and Ireland voted against because they wanted a larger share. Germany received 18,220 tonnes, Portugal 3,824, Spain 3,200, France 1,700, the UK 44, the Netherlands 8 and Ireland 4. Ministers also agreed the allocation of a 4,030-tonne EU redfish quota in the North West Atlantic Fisheries Organisation's (NAFO) 3M zone. Portugal received 3,061 tonnes, Germany 666 and Spain 303.

FISHERIES Commissioner Emma Bonino pledged to take action to protect North Sea herring stocks, following a report last month from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) which found they were in a critical state. ICES called for a 50&percent; cut in catches to protect stocks - jointly managed with Norway - which have fallen to 490,000 tonnes, compared to the biologically-sustainable level of 800,000 tonnes. The Commission is also planning to set a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Atlantic sardines, a stock of particular interest to Portugal.

MINISTERS agreed to extend rules which allow Sweden to catch 3,000 tonnes of sprat in the Skagerrak/Kattegat region using 16mm mesh nets in the second half of 1996. Stockholm was given a derogation from the standard EU mesh size of 32mm when it joined the Union last year. The Union standard is to be lowered to 16mm at the start of next year.

AS agreed by the Council, the Community and member states will shortly sign the United Nations accord on straddling stocks and highly-migratory species. This follows a lengthy dispute over who should sign on behalf of the EU. The accord was concluded in New York in August last year in an attempt to protect migratory fish stocks in international waters. Signature should finally allow the agreement to be ratified.

MINISTERS agreed to delay a decision on setting up a satellite monitoring system for fishing vessels until the end of the year. The Commission has proposed starting the system for some vessels in January next year and extending it to all vessels over 15 metres in length from January 1999. Pilot projects have already been carried out on about 350 vessels with EU financing of 10 million ecu.

PLANS for a conference on fishing in the Mediterranean Sea which is to be held from 27-29 November in Venice were welcomed by ministers. The conference will draw together representatives from governments in the region and all other countries which fish in the Mediterranean Sea, and will follow up the conclusions of the 1994 Crete conference.

THE Commission pledged to present a report as soon as possible on third country fishing activities in Union waters. It expressed disappointment that certain member states had only delivered the necessary statistics in the last week, which had prevented the timetable from being respected.

THE Council meeting unanimously adopted conclusions on improving fisheries research and data collection, based on the meeting of directors-general in Sorrento on 20-21 May and the declaration at the end of May by directors of research institutes.

SEVERAL delegations expressed concern at the situation on the EU salmon market and at the US embargo on prawns. The Commission said it would take any necessary measures, bearing in mind world trade rules. Italy and Spain also raised concerns about the US attitude to swordfish caught using drift nets and suggested the need for an overall framework covering this fishery.