FISHFILES LITE MAY 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. Anti-dumping measures on imported salmon terminated.
  2. Updated EU Import Tariffs on fishery products published
  3. Details of long-term recovery plan for cod published. Hake, sole and haddock will follow.
  4. Committee of the Regions accuses the Commission of being over-cautious on CFP reform.
  5. New fisheries management regime for EU’s "Western Waters".
  6. Commission allows some vessels to retain by-catch of blue ling and roundnose grenadier.
  7. Stop fishing notices due to quota exhaustion issued for Swedish, Dutch, and Belgian vessels.
  8. Commission holds meeting in Las Palmas on new Fisheries Partnership Agreements.
  9. EU-Kiribati fisheries agreement approved.
  10. EU-Guinea fisheries agreement extended.
  11. Commission calls for proposals to improve networking and enhance the role of women in the fishery sector.
  12. Commission extends areas in Ireland certified free of shellfish diseases.
  13. To reduce by-catches of porpoise, Commission announces that the use of “pingers” is now required by Danish law.
  14. Voluntary decommissioning incentives, rather than capacity reduction targets will be applied to Scottish fishers.
  15. Commission says that Galician mussel industry has not provided all of the information required to qualify for protected designation of origin
  16. Spanish MEPs continue to argue that fisheries dependency should be taken into account in the allocation of fishing opportunities.
  17. Commission invites evidence of alleged dumping of seabass and bream by Greek producers.
  18. Commission maintains that there is no evidence of a link between the decline in North Sea cod and industrial fisheries, but in any case, has asked ICES to investigate.
  19. Commission announced its concern over bluefin tuna and intention to introduce new technical conservation measures for Mediterranean fisheries.

 

Fish hygiene

 

  1. New regulation passed permitting the use of fishmeal in farmed fish feeds, subject to conditions.
  2. Commission to request risk assessment on arsenic, mercury and fluorine in animal foods of marine origin.
  3. DG SANCO reports on UK implementation of fish and bivalve health conditions directives.
  4. DG SANCO reports on the health conditions in Benin for the production and export of shrimp to the EU.
  5. Commission updates list of third countries from which imports of fishery products to the EU are authorized.
  6. Commission received scientific opinion on risks and control options for Salmonella in all foodstuffs.
  7. Detailed opinion published on safety of irradiation of foods.
  8. EFSA risk assessment work begins.
  9. Commission discusses illegal use of carbon monoxide and “clear-smoking”.

 

Common fisheries policy

 

  1. The EU Council passed a regulation terminating (after 247 paragraphs of pre-amble) the anti-dumping measures on imported salmon from Norway, Chile and Faeroe Islands, effective 27 May, 2003.

 

  1. The Commission published consolidated and updated EU Import Tariffs on fresh, frozen, smoked and salted fishery products (fish, crustacean and cephalopods), and on canned and preserved fish..

 

  1. The Commission proposed a long-term recovery plan for cod with new TAC limits, permanent days at sea limits, increase in scrapping premium and extension of support to fishers. The Commission also announced the intention to introduce similar long-term recovery plans for hake, sole and haddock.

 

  1. Committee of the Regions, President Albert Bore, pronounced judgment on a raft of recent policy initiatives relating to European Fisheries. Amongst a wide range of views, the report accuses the Commission of being over-cautious and aggravating the loss of fishing enterprises.

 

  1. EU Council determined a new policy on fisheries management  in "Western Waters"; to limit catches and effort to present levels, establish “protection zones” around Azores/Canaries for deep sea and traditional fisheries, and set capacity limits to protect juvenile hake in waters to the  S and W of  Ireland.

 

  1. Commission passed a Regulation allowing certain vessels to retain some bycatch of blue ling and roundnose grenadier (otherwise prohibited unless a deepwater fishing license is held).

 

  1. Due to exhaustion of quota, stop fishing notices were issued for certain Swedish, Dutch, and Belgian vessels. All vessels (except Danish and UK) are to stop fishing for blue whiting in Faroese waters.

 

  1. The Commission held a meeting in Las Palmas to promote the benefits of the new Fisheries Partnership Agreements to stakeholders in Mauritanian fisheries

 

  1. A Fisheries Agreement between the EU and Government of Kiribati was approved. It provides tuna fishing opportunities for three EU nations.

 

  1. The EU-Guinea Fisheries agreement was extended to the end of 2003. Covers shrimp, demersals fish and tuna.

 

  1. The Commission called for proposals (including studies, pilot projects and exchanges of experience) to improve networking and to enhance the role of women in the fishery sector.

 

  1. The Commission decided to extend the areas in Ireland which are certified free of certain infectious diseases of shellfish.

 

  1. A Parliamentary question was asked regarding by-catches of porpoise. Commission responds that the use of “pingers” in some fisheries is now required by Danish law.

 

  1. Regarding recent capacity reductions by Scottish fishers, the Commission has indicated that increased rates of support will be provided for voluntary decommissioning. No capacity reduction targets will be set.

 

  1. Regarding the Galician mussel industry and its application for protected designation of origin, Commissioner Fischler says that the applicants have not provided all of the information required to dispel doubts about the validity of the application.

 

  1. A Spanish MEP continues to argue that fisheries dependency should be taken into account in the allocation of fishing opportunities, but the Commission says there is no legal basis for using this measure as a basis for quota allocation.

 

  1. Regarding the collapse in seabass and bream prices in 2002, and alleged dumping by Greek producers on the markets of other Member States, the Commission offers to investigate if provided with evidence of illegal market practices.

 

  1. Several questions were asked in the EU Parliament regarding fishmeal supplies in the EU, alternative sources, and the impact of the EU sandeel fishery on cod stocks. The Commission maintains that there is no evidence of a link between the decline in North Sea cod and industrial fisheries, but in any case, has asked ICES to investigate.

 

  1. Questions were asked in Parliament regarding a WWF report alleging the over-fishing of bluefin tuna stocks in the Mediterranean. The Commission is monitoring the practice of capture and fattening of this species. Proposals are being developed for strengthened technical measures for Mediterranean fisheries which will address the bluefin fishery.

 

Fish hygiene

 

  1. The Commission passed a Regulation, permitting, subject to certain specific conditions, the feeding of farmed fish with fishmeal and, for the first time in Community law, setting out the requirements for composition of fish feeds.

 

  1. The Commission announced that it will request a report on the risk assessment regarding presence of arsenic, mercury and fluorine in seaweed meal, fish feed & fish meal and all animal foods of marine origin.

 

  1. DG SANCO reported on UK implementation of fish and bivalve health conditions directives. Some criticisms are made in relation to hazard identification, deficient establishments, laboratory proficiency testing, phytoplankton monitoring and traceability.

 

  1. DG SANCO reported on a mission to Benin to review the health conditions for the production and export of shrimp to the EU. Outlines a comprehensive failure to meet requirements in most respects. Rather diplomatically recommends “protective measures proportional to the deficiencies”.

 

  1. The Commission has updated and consolidated the list of third countries from which imports of fishery products to the EU are authorised by the European Commission, to include several new additions based on recent inspection visits.

 

  1. In a major report, the Commission received scientific opinion on risks, microbiological criteria, the need for detailed risk profiling, and regulatory control options for Salmonella in foodstuffs, including fish and shellfish.

 

  1. The Scientific Committee on Food issued a detailed, revised opinion on the safety of irradiation of foods, taking into account results of recent research. Concludes that maximum doses should continue to be specified for named foods and subject to individual applications.

 

  1. The European Food Safety Authority gained approval and budget for the appointment of scientific panels. Risk assessment work began at the end of May 2003, but no decision is yet made on where they will work.

 

  1. The Commission discussed the illegal use of carbon monoxide and so-called “clear-smoking” to change the colour of tuna fish.  Member States are requested to supply more information.

 

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