Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-12-04-Speech-3-096"
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"en.20021204.5.3-096"2
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"Mr President, first of all I want to be associated very much with the words of sympathy expressed with the people of Galicia and I fully concur with the speakers and my colleagues who called for solidarity with them at this time. I broadly welcome the Jové Peres report in its present form. The Commission proposal is based on the principle of sustainable development and the poor state of fishery resources. The starting point is indisputable but many views, including my own, differ as to the quantification of the state of stocks. The basis of the proposal is that account is taken exclusively of scientific reports as regards management measures. However, no credible measures are proposed to improve scientific knowledge even though the shortcomings in this area are well recognised. They envisage a common fisheries policy which is geared more to the short-term interests of some Member States than to fishermen. I say to the Commission that the CFP must be geared towards keeping alive regions which depend on fishing rather than making it a battlefield between Member States. Fishermen share common interests. They all need fishery resources to carry out their activities.
Decisions and objectives of the recovery plans cannot discard the social and economic consequences which they may have. Recovery plans must seek a balance between the recovery and conservation of stocks and measures to limit the impact on the fishing industry.
The exclusive coastal zone is something that Irish fishermen are adamant about maintaining and so are fishermen from Scotland, Wales, England, France, Portugal and Holland, from Denmark, Germany and others – it is something that I am adamant must be retained. The basic objective of the 6 to 12 miles coastal zone regime was to protect fishery resources by reserving access to small scale coastal fishery activities. In general, this puts less pressure on stocks in these zones which often harbour nurseries in juveniles. It also contributed to protecting the traditional fishing activities of coastal communities, thereby helping to maintain their economic and social fabric.
The current critical situation of many stocks makes it more urgent now than ever, not merely to roll out the 6 to 12 mile access regime which is totally inadequate, but rather to roll out the exclusive zone to 24 miles if we are serious about conserving stocks. I ask you to support my amendments to extend the exclusive coastal fishing zone to 24 miles. I have no doubt that the greater majority of your fishermen would ask you to do the same thing.
Because I regret the present unsatisfactory state of fish stocks and because I am in favour of conservation, I am adamant that highly sensitive areas must be protected. The Irish box is one such area of very great sensitivity. Waters in this zone are important spawning grounds, which is why there has been a derogation from free access in these waters. Regrettably, this did not prevent the illegal plunder of stocks in the Irish box over the years by some Community fishermen flying flags of convenience. This plunder must stop. These waters must be protected. Existing arrangements for access to the Irish box must be retained permanently in the reform process. There is no bureaucratic replacement for the knowledge and experience of fishermen. For this reason, and for many years, my group has been calling for a greater involvement of fishermen in the ways the common fishery policy is run.
The Commission has now adopted this idea, which I welcome, by proposing the creation of regional advisory councils which will include fishermen and their organisations for the very first time. If these councils are to play a meaningful role in the future, fishermen must be involved in all phases of the management process. Fishermen must also be more involved in the work of scientists in order to establish mutual confidence. Only in this way can fishermen contribute to and influence Community policy.
I congratulate Mr Varela for both of his balanced reports. I agree with his analysis. I agree with his criticism. I agree with his proposed changes to the Commission's proposals. I will be supporting his reports.
In conclusion, let me say unequivocally, as I did during the debate on the Stevenson report, that the common fisheries policy is not only about fish, it is also, and more importantly, about fishermen. It is about their families and their families' future. It is about their way of life, the only one possible in many areas."@en1
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