Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-19-Speech-5-057"
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"en.20000519.3.5-057"2
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"Mr President, I too should like to welcome this proposal for a regulation from the Commission which improves upon certain control measures within NAFO.
I have often voiced my opinion that NAFO fishing grounds are undoubtedly among the most regulated in the world. Such vigilance is sometimes the result of excessive mistrust, on the part of some Contracting Parties – who have almost unlimited power in NAFO - towards other parties who operate completely legitimately.
We all remember the unjust and regrettable incidents that took place a few years ago, regarding a Community vessel. These incidents were the product of suspicion bordering on persecution which has often concealed a desire to throw a smoke screen around management errors in some coastal states.
This is why I must applaud the fact that this proposal aims at incorporating into Community legislation three NAFO recommendations on controlling activities of vessels of non-Contracting Parties, and in particular non-Contracting Parties whose activities are, without a shadow of a doubt, much more suspect than those of any Community fleet.
As is usual procedure when discussing the transposition of measures into Community law, I must once again express my disappointment over the Commission’s delay in starting to work on adapting legislation. If it is indeed true that the proposal covers NAFO’s latest recommendations on sightings and transhipments from its annual meetings in 1998 and 1999, it is also true to say that this represents nothing more than a reworking of the 1997 recommendation, which is only now being taken into account.
Besides this now traditional complaint, this proposal for a regulation represents an opportunity to debate the real problem of flags of convenience and discuss what the European Union is doing to deal with them. Given the current state of marine resources, and at a time when there is growing awareness of the need for real protection of marine ecosystems, the fight against illegal fishing must become a priority and vessels flying flags of convenience should be first on the list.
The European Union is responsible for taking the lead in the fight against such harmful forms of fishing and must be capable of putting forward its own alternatives. The first step must be to propose unified and clear measures in the fight against such activity to Member States. The aim of such common rules is to ban the flying of such flags and stop Member States allowing these fleets to dock in their ports. Currently, not all Community ports are aware that, directly or indirectly, they are often providing cover for illegal activity. We can only develop their awareness through an information campaign and by introducing rigorous measures to accompany it."@en1
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