FISHFILES LITE NOVEMBER 2002
Megapesca Lda. Portugal
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Fishfiles Lite is a free monthly newsletter summarizing key developments in EU fisheries and trade policy and legislation. The full text of all of the items below is available with a single click, to subscribers to Megapesca’s FishFiles Professional service. If you do not wish to receive further editions of this newsletter, please follow the instructions at the foot of the page.

 

Common Fisheries Policy

 

  1. The Council of Agriculture & Fisheries discussed the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. No substantive agreements were announced.
  2. The Council considers action plan on discards in EU waters.
  3. The Commission published discussion paper on social impacts of conservation and structural adjustment.
  4. Commission action plan proposed on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) in EU and by EU owned vessels (wherever flagged).
  5. European Parliament resolves to support the CFP Green Paper but criticizes the lack of innovation in CFP reforms.
  6. EU Parliamentary resolution passed on environmental issues relating to the CFP.
  7. The EU extended its fisheries agreements with Republic of Guinea (to 31 December 2003) and Angola (until August 2002).
  8. EU guide prices for fresh and frozen fisheries products published.
  9. Tariff elimination for fishery products between EU and Bulgaria/Czech Republic.
  10. Extended derogation for non-ACP originating tuna.
  11. 2002 fish quotas modified to defer some quota for 2003
  12. ICCAT meeting in Bilbao, agrees much stronger conservation regime.
  13. EU strengthens conservation regulations for EU vessels fishing in ICCAT (Atlantic) and IOC (Indian Ocean) regions.
  14. Stronger regulation of trade in Patagonian toothfish.
  15. Stop fishing notices were published for Belgian, Portuguese and French vessels.
  16. Debate on the cod and hake crisis rumbled on, with discussion of options – moratorium or 80% cuts.
  17. Commissioner Fischler gave a speech to Irish fishers; expect removal of limit of 40 Spanish vessels for the Irish Box as scheduled by end of 2002.
  18. EU Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler announces intent to help fishermen affected by the Prestige oil spill.
  19. The Commission announces it is preparing measures to protect eel stocks.
  20. The Commission announces it is preparing measures to control landing of severed shark fins.
  21. EU Parliament considers decline in dugong population.
  22. EU Parliament considers fish welfare, but Commission says no new measures are planned.

 

Fish hygiene issues

 

  1. EU Council reached political agreement on the new general hygiene directive.
  2. DG Sanco (Food and Veterinary Office) hammers UK drug residue control system for farmed animal products, with major emphasis on continued use of illegal malachite green in farmed fish. Infringement proceedings and an EU trade ban for UK salmon and trout are proposed.
  3. A DG Sanco inspects Netherlands controls for fish hygiene. Some defects, but generally satisfactory.
  4. Following a DG Sanco inspection in Angola, the country was scheduled to lose access to EU markets.
  5. Several new third countries were confirmed on List 1 suppliers of fishery products. New List 1 and List 2 published.
  6. Crayfish and surimi are authorized for from China, subject to 20% testing for anti-microbials.
  7. Labeling of Genetically Modified Organisms will be extended to highly refined oils such as soya.

 

Common Fisheries Policy

 

  1. The Council of Agriculture & Fisheries met in Brussels on Thursday 28 November, following a day of discussions on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy between Member States and the Commission. The main items under discussion were the new CFP framework regulation (with proposals for multi-annual quotas), structural adjustment and funding (with stricter capacity controls). No substantive agreements were announced, and much work remains in order to meet the December deadline for approval of the reformed CFP. The Commission remains resolute that reform of the CFP will not be derailed by delaying tactics by some Member States.

 

  1. The Council considered a discussion paper outlining the discard problem in EU waters, and proposing a range of policy measures, including consideration of a discard ban from 2006, improved technical measures, and a requirement to cease fishing when discard levels are excessive.

 

  1. The Commission also published a discussion paper outlining a proposed approach to counter the social impacts of the conservation and structural measures being introduced as part of the CFP reform. Proposals include a reprogramming of funds away from vessel investment to social support measures, special measures (such as reserved fisheries) for small scale fisheries, and support for diversification to mixed fishing/other businesses.

 

  1. Another discussion paper was launched, outlining proposals to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) in EU and by EU owned vessels. Measures include prohibition of use of flags of convenience by EU operators; banning trade in fish from IUU fisheries; stronger monitoring and control of IUU vessels in Regional Fisheries Organisations and on the high seas.

 

  1. Rather late in the day, the European Parliament passed resolution on the CFP Green Paper; critical of the lack of innovation in the Commission’s proposed CFP reforms. The accompanying  “wish list” includes; calls for co-management,  calls for discards to be counted against quotas, and requires action against states which do not meet fleet capacity targets. The Parliament categorically rejects the idea of ITQs in EU fisheries.

 

  1. A Parliamentary resolution was passed on environmental issues relating to the CFP; expressing concern over impacts of industrial fishing and aquaculture; additional support for fishers affected by environmental policies, calls for more eco-labelling, no GMO fish and a range of other measures.

 

  1. The EU extended its fisheries agreements with Republic of Guinea (to 31 December 2003) and Angola (until August 2002).

 

  1. The European Commission has issued its annual proposal on EU guide prices for fresh and frozen fisheries products,  as well as for tuna for processing for 2003 (to form the basis for price subsidy and market withdrawal).

 

  1. EU Council passed decisions for tariff elimination within 3 years on trade in all fishery products between EU and Bulgaria and EU and Czech Republic. Some products are tariff free immediately.

 

  1. The Council extended until Feb 2005, a derogation to the definition of tuna of ACP origin, allowing a duty free quotas of canned tuna and loins of non-originating tuna to be exported to the EU by ACP countries (presently allocated to 6 African states).

 

  1. The Commission has modified some of the 2002 quotas for those member States who have indicated that they wish to defer some quota for 2003; introduces a voluntary and partial multi-annual quota system in advance of the new conservation regulation.

 

  1. Following the ICCAT meeting in Bilbao, agreement was announced for a much stronger conservation regime, including controls on IUU fishing, and multi-annual quotas for tuna and similar species.

 

  1. The Council amended conservation regulations for EU vessels fishing in ICCAT (Atlantic) and IOC (Indian Ocean) regions, to take into account recent ICCAT/IOC decisions on reporting and flags of convenience.

 

  1. A regulation was passed which strengthens the regulation of Antarctic fishing for Patagonian toothfish. Introduces requirement for Member States to verify that imports are from properly authorised and documented catches.

 

  1. Stop fishing notices were published for Belgian vessels (monkfish, hake, plaice),  Portuguese vessels (redfish) and French vessels (cod

 

  1. The cod and hake crisis rumbled on. The European Parliament resolved that a longer term alternative to the moratorium should be sought, with reduced social impacts and more attention to the effect of displacement of effort. According to the EU’s own Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, this is technically feasible by applying 80% cuts in fishing mortality, although DG Fish regards the moratorium as “ the surest way of ensuring the recovery of certain cod stocks”.

 

  1. Commissioner Fischler gave a speech to Irish fishers, explaining rational for the CFP reforms and the emergency measures for cod, and that the present limit of 40 Spanish vessels for the Irish Box, must be removed at the end of 2002.

 

  1. EU Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler also declared that the Commission would do everything it can to help fishermen affected by the Prestige oil spill. "I feel for the fishermen on the Spanish coast.” He said..

 

  1. An EU parliamentary question was asked regarding the impact of the harvest of elvers for direct human consumption or export for aquaculture. The Commission is preparing proposals for measures to protect eel stocks.

 

  1. A Parliamentary question was asked about the delay in implementing controls on landing of severed shark fins. The proposals are being drafted by the Commission.

 

  1. Another question was asked on remedial measures to counter decline in dugong population due to gill net fishing off E.Africa. The Commission does not consider that EU vessels can be implicated since they do not use gill nets in these regions, and only fish offshore.

 

  1. A question was also asked on measures for fish welfare (stock densities and killing methods); fish is already covered by general EU animal welfare measures. No new measures are planned in the short term.

 

Fish hygiene issues

 

  1. EU Council reached political agreement on the new general hygiene Directive for foods of animal origin, which will replace and consolidate the present 17 vertical hygiene directives (including that for fishery products). They also dropped the plan to make it a regulation (which would apply directly in Member States).

 

  1. DG Sanco (Food and Veterinary Office) delivered a stunningly damning report on an evaluation of the UK residue control system for farmed animal products, including fish. It is highly critical of the extensive use of illegal malachite green in trout and salmon production, with “the full knowledge of the Competent Authorities”. It also criticizes the UKs organisation of laboratory testing, and the lack of defined follow-up procedures where non-compliance with residue limits is identified (for example in several cases of ivermectin in farmed salmon). The report concludes that “serious deficiencies” are observed in the implementation of EU Directives by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate of DEFRA. The Commission is recommended to commence infringement proceedings against the UK, and to consider protective measures (potentially including an EU trade ban) with respect to UK salmon and trout.

 

  1. A DG Sanco inspection of the Netherlands controls for fish hygiene yielded a mainly favourable report, although some deficiencies were noted in the control system for bivalve molluscs. Some defects were also identified in the health conditions in fish processing establishments. 

 

  1. A DG Sanco (Food and Veterinary Office) visit to Anglola earlier this year, showed that Angola has  failed to meet the standards laid down in Dircetive 91/493. Angola was removed from List 2 of third countries permitted to supply the EU as from 1 November 2002.

 

  1. Several countries were confirmed on List 1, and the Competent Authorities recognized by the Commission. They include Costa Rica, New Caledonia, Greenland, Suriname, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Honduras. New List 1 and List 2 of authorized countries were published. Mayotte was also recommended for List 1.

 

  1. The Commission authorized removal of import suspension of certain fishery products from China (crayfish and surimi), subject to a requirement that 20% of consignments are tested for chloramphenicol and nitrofurans.

 

  1. Proposals to extend labeling of Genetically Modified organisms in food were agreed by the EU Council, and will apply to highly refined oils such as soya. A regulation will be proposed later in the year.

 

 

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