Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-24-Speech-4-046"
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"en.20050224.4.4-046"2
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"Mr President, we were all shocked by the physical and emotional devastation wreaked by the tsunami across south-east Asia on Boxing Day 2004.
It will be some time before the full extent of the loss and damage suffered by the fishing industry is known. But severe losses and/or damage to fishing vessels of all types have been reported from countries affected by the tsunami disaster, in particular Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and India.
Sri Lanka, for instance, has lost nearly 70% of its entire fishing fleet, according to a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Most of the fishing in the area is carried out by thousands of small boats of around 4.8 m in length. As well as the loss of fishermen's lives and boats and gear, harbours, production plants and freezing plants all suffered extensive damage. Normal fishing activity cannot resume without intervention and investment.
Understandably, we want to help. The urgency before us today relates to transferring vessels from EU Member States to countries hit by the tsunami. The proposal has been strongly criticised, as we hear this morning, as being inappropriate because the climate and fishing practices of EU countries vary from those of south-east Asia. I can understand why concern has been expressed over how suitable EU boats may be for fishing in south-east Asia. However, I welcome the proposal before us today on the basis that it allows for the transfer of boats that meet the restricted criteria and that might be useful.
I also welcome amendments tabled on behalf of the PSE Group by Mr Kindermann, both singly and jointly with other groups, in particular the amendments that ensure that adverse effects on fisheries resources and the local economy are avoided, that the transfer is accompanied by any appropriate training, that boats are suitable and that the transfer meets the requirements of the FAO's needs assessments and is requested by the third country. On that basis, I am happy to support the urgency and I call on colleagues to do likewise."@en1
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