Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-11-18-Speech-1-116"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20021118.7.1-116"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
". – Madam President, I read with attention the report adopted by the Committee on Fisheries on our action plan on environmental integration. We are happy to note that our views are rather more convergent on this issue of environmental integration than on other reform aspects.
As far as fisheries agreements are concerned, you will soon have an opportunity to confirm that the Commission shares your environmental concerns. The announced communication on partnership agreements will be presented shortly.
Generally speaking, the Commission is on your side regarding the main resolutions of the report. However, I wish to comment on several statements in the explanatory memorandum. Firstly, while I recognise the shortcomings of scientific advice, I strongly disagree that this is the main problem of fisheries management. We all know that the main problem is too many fishermen chasing too few fish.
Secondly, the rapporteur states that it is the Commission is pursuing a policy of capacity reduction. As I have said before on many occasions, this is simply not correct. It is not correct, either, that the Commission has proposed the abolition of public aid for modernisation of the fleet.
Finally, I would not agree that industrial fishing has a much greater environmental impact per euro added value than fisheries for human consumption, mainly because I find it odd to measure environmental impact against monetary units, but also because the environmental impact of this kind of fishing has yet to be determined.
To sum up, I do not agree totally with the form but will support the substance of the report and in particular the motion for a resolution.
We clearly share the same goals in respect of such important fields of action suggested in the report as environmental protection, improvement of research, including the integration of fishermen's experience, specific measures for specific problems, the implementation of an ecosystem approach, aids to modernisation, industrial fisheries, sustainable aquaculture and so on. In fact the Commission has already started or planned several initiatives to respond to these requirements.
Allow me to outline some of them. We have requested the ICES to study in 2003 the possibilities for operational procedures to integrate fishermen's experience and knowledge in the assessment and advisory process. We agree that specific situations require specific measures. We do not apply the same combinations of management instruments in the Baltic as in the North Sea or the Mediterranean. We do not intend, either, to set the same targets for different fleets.
To achieve the targets set out in Johannesburg, we are in the process of implementing the bio-diversity action plan with a view to halting bio-diversity decline by 2010 and it is through the reformed CFP that we intend to rebuild stocks sooner than 2015.
We have recently co-financed an FAO expert meeting to develop operational guidelines to implement an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. In our reform proposals we have excluded the mandatory scrapping of vessels and given more emphasis to multiannual plans using flexible instruments such as TACs, effort regulation and technical measures as main regulatory elements. We have proposed to maintain aid to modernisation of vessels for reasons of security, working conditions and hygiene, provided that there is no increased fishing efficiency in order to prevent increases in fishing pressure.
We are promoting the elaboration by the main stakeholders of a European code of responsible fishing practice. The first drafts are already under discussion in the context of the Advisory Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
We have requested that the ICES study the ecological consequences of industrial fisheries and the effects on non-fishery activities, as well as the threats, including global warming, to commercial stocks.
The Commission has initiated debate to promote a coordinated protection of the marine environment. The recent communication on a strategy to protect and conserve the marine environment gives the main elements of the policy advocated for a holistic treatment of the problem. We have addressed the
oil spill by completing most elements of the package, namely the rules on port state control, certification and checking of security measures and bringing forward the phasing out of single hull tankers. The creation of an EU compensation fund for oil spills is expected to be finalised by 2003. We are constantly putting as much pressure as we can on Member States for a better implementation of the habitats directive in the marine environment as completely and as soon as possible.
Finally, as you have already had the opportunity to study our communication on sustainable aquaculture, you may have noticed how much our intended policy in the area takes into account environmental protection requirements."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples