FISHFILES LITE JULY 2003

Megapesca Lda. Portugal

www.megapesca.com

 

 

Dear Colleague,

 

Fishfiles Lite is a free monthly newsletter summarizing key developments in EU fisheries and fish 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 EU bans the controversial onboard removal of fins from sharks.
  2. The Court of Justice of the European Communities rejects disease compensation claim from UK salmon farmers.
  3. New regulation permits the application of the name “sardine” to species other than Sardina pilchardus.
  4. Subsidies of 85% towards the costs of CFP data collection programmes were announced by the Commission.
  5. Subsidies for cost of mandatory extension of satellite VMS systems to 18-24m fleet and other measures also announced.
  6. Baltic drift net ban, and acoustic “pingers” on some fishing gears to be introduced to protect cetaceans.
  7. Spanish vessels prohibited from fishing for cod in Norwegian and some EU waters.
  8. All Member State vessels prohibited from fishing for capelin in Greenland waters
  9. Commission questioned on sustainability of aquaculture of carnivorous fish using fishmeal-based feeds.
  10. Commission restricts movement of live salmon and ova in some EU areas.
  11. Most categories of state aid in the fisheries sector released from prior notification to the Commission.
  12. Danish compensation scheme for cod fishing vessels was approved.
  13. Days at sea extended for Netherlands beam trawlers.
  14. The Commission defended principles used to allocate fishing opportunities, stating it is not obliged to taker into account levels of fisheries dependency.
  15. EU Parliament questioned the Commission on illegal landing of cod and seasonal closed areas.
  16. EU Parliament asked yet more questions on seabird losses in long-lining operations.
  17. The Commission is to start fisheries partnership agreement negotiations with Libya.
  18. The Commission and the Republic of Guinea initialled a new 5-year extension to their fisheries agreement.
  19. The Commission agreed to permit quota transfers in the EU –Greenland fisheries partnership agreement.
  20. The Commission was questioned in Parliament regarding allocation of opportunities to Spain under the fisheries agreements with Senegal and Angola.
  21. Following Morocco´s offer of access to Spanish vessels, the Commission said thanks, but no thanks.
  22. One year extension to bilateral fisheries agreements between South Africa and Spain, and South Africa and Portugal.
  23.  The Commission was questioned regarding the financial costs and benefits in the EU’s fisheries agreements.

 

Food and Fish Hygiene

 

  1. The Council of Ministers approved major new hygiene regulations governing fishery products.
  2. The EU Parliament also approved general food hygiene regulations including hygiene at the level of primary producer.
  3. A new animal feed regulation was passed, banning use of all antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feeds.
  4. The Commission published a draft regulation for control of nutritional and health claims in respect of foods.
  5. The Council of Ministers formally adopted two regulations governing labelling and traceability of GMOs.
  6. The safety of farmed fish was questioned in respect of PCBs. New limits are to be set by 2004.
  7. Rapid alerts were notified for rejected fishery products from many countries. Antibiotic residues and heavy metals continue to be common problems.
  8. The Commission announced the end of 100% testing of Indonesian shrimp.
  9. DG SANCO reported on an inspection mission to Guyana. Needs improvement and guarantees.
  10. DG SANCO also reported on an inspection mission to Algeria. Also seeks guarantees before re-assessment.
  11. The Commission extend permitted harvest areas for Pectinidae in Peru.
  12. The Commission discussed proposals to permit higher levels of arsenic and fluorine in fish feeds and fishmeal.
  13. The Commission published an updated list of EU food irradiation facilities.

 

Common Fisheries Policy

 

  1. EU Council passed a regulation banning the onboard removal of fins from sharks on Community vessels and foreign vessels in EU waters; some exemptions are permitted.

 

  1. The Court of Justice of the European Communities rejected a claim from UK salmon farmers for compensation for fish destroyed after infection with contagious diseases.

 

  1. A new regulation was passed extending the permitted usage of the trade description “sardine” to species other that Sardina pilchardus, subject to certain conditions.

 

  1. The Commission decided the amount of subsidy available to Member States for approved data collection programmes for the CFP in 2003. Grants of up to 85% are available.

 

  1. The Commission set out Community contributions for mandatory MCS activities during 2003; includes grant support for extension of satellite VMS systems to 18-24m fleet segment, pilot projects on electronic data transfer, staff training and acquisition of surveillance vessels and aircraft.

 

  1. The Commission announced a draft regulation to protect dolphins and porpoises; includes a Baltic drift net ban, and fixing of acoustic “pingers” to some types of fishing gear.

 

  1. Due to exhaustion of quota, Spanish vessels were prohibited from fishing for cod in Norwegian and some EU waters.

 

  1. Due to exhaustion of quota, all Member State vessels were prohibited from fishing for capelin in Greenland waters from 13 July 2003.

 

  1. The Commission was questioned in the EU Parliament on the sustainability of aquaculture of carnivorous fish using fishmeal-based feeds, following publication of a recent study. It is sustainable insists the Commission.

 

  1. The Commission passed a Decision restricting movement of live salmon and ova into UK and Ireland to prevent transmission of a parasitic disease.

 

  1. The Commission published a draft regulation exempting most categories of state aid in the fisheries sector from prior notification to the Commission.

 

  1. The European Commission approved a Danish compensation scheme for vessel owners affected by a temporary ban on cod fishing in the Baltic in 2003.

 

  1. The Commission extended the days at sea permitted for Netherlands beam trawlers due to reduction of fishing fleet capacity.

 

  1. The Commission was questioned in Parliament again regarding allocation of fishing opportunities to vessels from heavily fisheries dependent regions. The Commission argues that Council has full discretionary powers over the allocation of fishing opportunities and is not obliged to consider dependency.

 

  1. Following a Parliamentary question regarding illegal landing of cod, the Commission outlined its objection to seasonal closed areas which are, it claims, not an effective replacement for effort reduction.

 

  1. Another Parliamentary question was asked regarding seabird losses in long-lining operations. Technical measures are proposed to protect marine mammals and seabirds in the southern hemisphere.

 

  1. The Commission has asked the Council of Ministers to authorise the start of fisheries partnership agreement negotiations with the Government of Libya.

 

  1. The Commission and the Republic of Guinea initialled a new 5-year extension to their fisheries agreement for the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2008. This includes elements of fisheries partnership agreements, including measures to protect artisanal fishing and food security.

 

  1. The Commission agreed to permit transfers of unused fishing quotas for some species allocated under the EU –Greenland fisheries partnership agreements.

 

  1. The Commission was questioned in Parliament regarding allocation of opportunities to Spain under the fisheries agreements with Senegal and Angola.

 

  1. Following an offer from Morocco to allow 64 Spanish vessels to fish in Moroccan waters, the Commission welcomed the “warmly generous” offer but does not “have in mind commencement of negotiations”.

 

  1. The EU Council approved the extension of the bilateral fisheries agreement between South Africa and Spain, and South Africa and Portugal, for a further year until March and April 2004 respectively.

 

  1. Several questions were asked in the Parliament regarding the financial costs and benefits in the EU’s fisheries agreements with different countries: Angola, Faeroe Islands, Gabon, Guinea, Kiribati, Madagascar, São Tomé and Príncipe and Senegal. The details were outlined by Commissioner Fischler.

 

Food and Fish Hygiene

 

  1. Following the approval of Parliament last year the Council of Ministers approved one of five hygiene regulations setting out the future official controls on foods of animal origin, including fishery products.

 

  1. The EU Parliament approved new draft regulations specifying general requirements for hygiene of all foodstuffs and setting out requirements for hygiene at the level of primary producer.

 

  1. The Council agreed on a new animal feed regulation banning the use of the remaining permitted antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feeds.

 

  1. The Commission published a draft regulation for control of nutritional and health claims in respect of foods.

 

  1. The Council of Ministers formally adopted two regulations governing labelling and traceability of Genetically Modified Organisms. All GMO derived foods (irrespective of content of genetic material) are to be labelled, beyond a threshold of 0.9% GM content.

 

  1. A Parliamentary question was asked on the safety of fish farming following publication of a study claiming high levels of PCBs in farmed fish. In response the Commission announced that limits on concentration of dioxin-like PCBs in food will be introduced before the end of 2004.

 

  1. Rapid alerts were notified by Member States for failure to comply with import health conditions for fishery products from Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Benin, Morocco, Thailand, India, Côte d’Ivoire, Singapore, Indonesia, Argentina,  Taiwan,  Nigeria,  China,  Malaysia, Chile and  USA. Antibiotic residues in shrimp and heavy metals in large pelagic fish continue to cause most rejections.

 

  1. Despite this, the Commission announced the end of 100% systematic testing of Indonesian shrimp on entry to the EU.

 

  1. DG SANCO reported on an inspection mission to Guyana, finding a need for improved legal, inspection and monitoring procedures. The Commission will re-consider the position of Guyana after provision of guarantees.

 

  1. DG SANCO also reported on an inspection mission to Algeria, finding that conditions were not equivalent to those required by EU legislation. The Commission seeks guarantees prior to reconsidering the situation.

 

  1. The Commission decided to extend permitted bivalve harvest areas (for Pectinidae) in Peru.

 

  1. The Commission discussed proposals to amend Directive 2002/32/EC on undesirable substances in animal feed to permit higher limits for arsenic and fluorine in fish feeds and fishmeal.

 

  1. The Commission published an updated list of Member State facilities authorised for the irradiation of foodstuffs.

 

 

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.