FISHFILES LITE MARCH 2003

Megapesca Lda. Portugal

www.megapesca.com

Dear Colleague,

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 to subscribers to Megapesca's FishFiles Professional service

(http://www.megapesca.com/megashop/legis1.html).

The content of this newsletter is subject to a disclaimer at the foot of the page. 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 European Commission announced the intention to create a Community Fisheries Control Agency with member States.
2. The European Commission organised a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on recovery plans for endangered cod and hake stocks.
3. ACP Countries briefed on new fisheries partnership agreements.
4. List of EU fishery sector Producers Organisations updated.
5. Belgian vessels prevented from fishing for cod.
6. Parliament and Commission concerned over last-years price collapse in the bass and bream market.
7. France proposes new state aids for fishers to compensate for higher fuel prices.

Fish Hygiene

8. New report on risks of feeding fish waste to farmed fish.
9. DG SANCO reports on health and hygiene failures of the Angolan competent authority in export health controls for fishery products.
10. DG SANCO also reported on the failures in the health controls for bivalve molluscs exported from Indonesia.
11. The Scientific Committee on Food announced that a new opinion on irradiation will be expressed in April 2003.
12. New areas in Norway announced by EFTA as free from some fish diseases.
13. List of Member State authorisations for irradiation of food products published.
14. New research database on acrylamide in food now available online.
15. Rumoured licence application for a vaccine for ISA in salmon.

Common Fisheries Policy

1. The European Commission announced the intention to create a Community Fisheries Control Agency, as a joint inspection structure with member States, to ensure a more effective use of EU and national means of fisheries inspection and surveillance.

2. The European Commission organised a two-day stakeholders’ workshop (Brussels, 10-11 March 2003) to discuss the progress with recovery plans for endangered cod and hake stocks.

3. Commissioner Fischler presented a speech to representatives of African Caribbean and Pacific countries, outlining the differences between the new fisheries partnership agreements and the old-style fisheries agreements.

4. The European Commission published a list of EU Producers Organisations operating in the fishery and aquaculture sector.

5. Belgian fishing vessels exhausted their quota for cod in some EU regions.

6. A question was asked in the EU Parliament on behalf of Spanish, French and Portuguese fish farmers about Commission actions to prevent alleged dumping of bass and bream by Greek producers at less than cost. The European Commission has suggested a market information system and has promised funding for a study.

7. France has introduced a proposal regarding state aids for fishers to compensate the recent increase in fuel prices. The Commission is dubious about the proposal.

Fish Hygiene

8. The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare published a report outlining risks to human and animal health from the practice of feeding fish by-products to farmed fish (including dead fish from aquaculture and offal of sea-caught fish). The report recommends that farmed fish by-products are not fed to farmed fish, and that use of untreated feed be prohibited. Legislation will probably follow.

9. The DG SANCO of the Commission released its much delayed report outlining the major deficiencies noted by Commission inspectors in the export health controls for fishery products from Angola. The mission found a weak approval system, hygiene deficiencies in industry, lack of reporting and follow up, inadequacy of laboratories and lack of monitoring for heavy metals. The report recommends the Commission to consider “protective measures” (which were not subsequently introduced.)

10. DG SANCO also reported on the health controls for bivalve molluscs to be exported from Indonesia. The mission found deficiencies in legislation, performance of the competent authority, laboratory analysis of marine biotoxins, monitoring of phytoplankton, management of production areas, and over-chlorination of process water. The report recommends that Indonesia not be considered as meeting the requirements of EU Directives for these products.

11. The Scientific Committee on Food announced that the review of irradiation of food is progressing and a full opinion will be expressed in April 2003.

12. EFTA announced a decision regarding additional areas in Norway which are to be regarded as free from infectious haematopoietic necrosis and viral haemorrhagic septicaemia.

13. The Commission published a list of Member State authorisations for irradiation of food products. Includes a wide range of fish and shellfish products (shrimps, eels, crustaceans and molluscs).

14. As part of efforts to clarify potential public health risks and identify how to reduce levels of acrylamide in food, the European Commission has made a new research database available online.

15. A question was asked in Parliament regarding a rumoured licence application for a vaccine for ISA in salmon. The Commission declined to comment due to commercial confidentiality.

Disclaimer

Whilst we use our best efforts to provide accurate information in this newsletter, Megapesca is not responsible for the results of any inaccuracies or omissions which may be found to exist in the information provided, or any loss of profits or other consequential damages that may result from actions or omissions based on the information supplied. Readers are advised that only the European Union legislation published in the paper editions of the Official Journal of the European Communities is deemed authentic