Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-16-Speech-4-039"
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"en.20041216.6.4-039"2
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"Mr President, Mr Ribeiro's excellent report is on the second Commission proposal seeking to protect deep-water coral reefs from the effects of trawling. The first concerned reefs off the north-west coast of Scotland, the Darwin Mounds, for which I was fortunate enough to be rapporteur. As with that report, it is essential to appreciate just how important deep-water coral reefs are for the marine ecosystem.
They can maintain hundreds of different species of wildlife, including many species of deep-sea fish, and they are a vital focus for fish reproductive cycles. In the case of deep-sea fish, gestation periods are extremely long and thus any negative impacts on the habitats will have serious effects on stocks, both in the short and the long term.
We are still gathering research on the full impact of trawling on deep-sea coral reefs, but it certainly appears that in the short span of time since deep-sea trawling began, hundreds or possibly thousands of seamounts and coral reef systems may have been devastated.
The ALDE Group therefore fully supports the proposal and the amendments adopted in committee, particularly Amendment No 4 emphasising the role of regional advisory councils. We commend to you the other amendments as adopted in committee. We endorse plenary Amendment No 8 as well, since it is important to examine what other areas of deep-sea coral within the EU should be closed to harmful fishing methods.
We can also support Amendment No 6 and the first part of Amendment No 7, since that fits with the precautionary approach. After considerable thought, we cannot support the second part of that amendment because it could have the effect of leaving some of the coral unprotected. That is with real regret, since the motivation of the whole of that amendment is essentially one of conservation.
We hope very much that the Commission and the Council will both appreciate the seriousness of the concerns being expressed."@en1
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