Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-02-Speech-4-031"
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"en.19991202.3.4-031"2
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"Mr President and Commissioner, in introducing this report on the conservation of fishing resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms, I can be confident that the proposals are based on sound scientific advice. As my European Parliament colleagues will know, the Fisheries Committee has been a strong supporter of technical conservation measures based on technical and scientific data.
This is particularly so where efforts are made to cross-reference scientific data with fisheries observations. Fishermen spend more time at sea than scientists and the sea is their natural environment, which they observe on a daily basis. They have a better understanding of fish movements and factors affecting fish stocks than people give them credit for, quite simply because it is essential for their livelihood. The House will recall the positive opinion on the substance of the measures and resolution of 25 October 1996, the Gallagher report, and its opinion of 26 April 1998 on the implementation of technical measures in the common fisheries policy. On 30 March 1998, the Council of Ministers adopted Regulation 850/98 for the conservation of fishing resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles. This regulation replaced 894/97 with the exception of Articles 11, 19 and 20 which related to driftnets and which were dealt with separately.
After the adoption and publication of this regulation, data brought to the attention of the Commission necessitated its incorporation into this regulation. The regulation of 13 March 1998 is due to come into effect on 1 January next year. However, it is imperative that the additional data and developments which have come too late be incorporated in this regulation and ensure that it is part of the regulation coming into force on 1 January. The present proposal for a Council regulation provides for changes to the area and timing of restrictions designed to protect the spawning of the Douglas Bank herring in the Irish Sea. In view of the current healthy state of herring stocks, the proposal changes allow for a reduction in both the area and the time period of fishing restrictions. This will increase fishing opportunities while, at the same time, protecting the stocks and ensure that there is no repeat of the collapse of the stocks which we recall in 1970.
I am pleased to note that the scientific, technical and economic committee have supported the proposal, having examined the report of the advisory committee of fisheries management during its November 1999 session, in addition to the specific provisions on the use of Danish seine nets in the plaice box. This merely corrects an oversight in the original text. The conditions agreed within the international dolphin conservation programme for the use of purse seines which commonly will apply provisionally within the Community incorporate into this regulation a revision of mesh size for two species of spotted dogfish. Technical conservation measures will play an important role in the conservation of stocks by protecting juvenile fish and will reduce the threat to further yields.
A clear message must go out from this Parliament, from the Commission and from the Council to the fishing industry that honest endeavours will be respected and those fishermen who abide by technical conservation measures that are devised by accredited European scientists in partnership with fishermen will benefit most. If amendments are necessary in the light of new developments, no doubt the Commission will come back with further proposals and I am quite certain that the Committee and Parliament will respond expeditiously.
I want to thank my colleagues, the officials in committee and the officials in the Commission for their assistance in drawing up this report and I want to congratulate Mrs Fraga Estévez on the presentation of her very comprehensive report. But I must say that I am disappointed here today that the Council have already decided and that we are debating a report when a decision has been taken.
I must pose the question: are we ordering our business in a correct fashion? Commissioner Fischler told us we had no co-responsibility, but that our views would be taken into consideration. How can our views be taken into consideration when we are debating a report which has already been decided on by Council? I would sincerely hope the Council and the Commission have taken note of our views.
They were obviously monitoring the progress of this report through the committee, and I am pleased that they have rejected a proposal to allow unlimited quantities of herring into the Union, quantities of fresh, chilled and frozen herring at preferable rates of duty. Now it has been restricted from 2001 to 20 000 tonnes. It is still too much in view of the fact that the prices of herring in the Community at the moment are at an all-time low. This is because of the overloading of the EU market with low-price fish and frozen herring from Norway and the setting up by German companies of low-cost production units in Poland for processing duty-free Norwegian fish for export to Germany. We must remember, we have a duty and a responsibility to the Community fishermen and we must ensure that their rights are protected."@en1
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