FISHFILES LITE AUGUST 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. New ban on bottom trawling in the North West of Scotland.
  2. Assisted fish quota purchase in the Shetland found to be in breach of the EU Treaty.
  3. EU Parliament alleges inconsistencies in conservation of deep sea species around the Azores.
  4. Commission announces pilot projects for satellite vessel detection systems (VDS).
  5. The Commission confirms that the principle of relative stability is not immutable.
  6. Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler reflects on fisheries policy, the future of the EU, and Globalisation.
  7. European Court throws out compensation clams for destruction of diseased UK salmon.
  8. The Commission renews direct subsidies for fish from the EU's Outermost Regions.
  9. Membership of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture renewed.
  10. The EU Parliament questioned the financial aspects EU fisheries external agreements.
  11. The Commission announced it will require minimum crew conditions in future EU-Third country fishery agreements.
  12. A stop fishing notice was issued for Spanish vessels targeting blue ling.

 

Fish hygiene

 

  1. The Commission announced 39 rapid alerts for fishery products.
  2. EU Council permits a new antiparasitic treatment for farmed fish.
  3. Mayotte, Saint Pierre et Miquelon and Slovakia get onto List 1 of third country suppliers of fishery products
  4. EU Trade Commissioner “expressed regret” at forthcoming WTO clash on GMOs.
  5. The Commission publishes an explanatory note food irradiation.

 

 

Common Fisheries Policy

 

  1. The Commission passed a regulation temporarily banning bottom trawling in the Darwin mounds region (a cold water coral formation North West of Scotland) for a period of 6 months.

 

  1. The Commission pronounced on the legality of an assistance scheme for fish quota purchase in the Shetland Islands. The scheme was found to be an unauthorised State Aid, in breach of the EU Treaty, and should be dismantled within 2 months. A first rate case-study in the difficulties of administrating transferable quotas. 

 

  1. A question in the EU Parliament alleged inconsistencies and deficiencies in the Commissions proposals for conservation of deepsea species around the Azores. The Commission claims that the proposals are in line with current scientific advice, and will only be introduced in consultation with stakeholders.

 

  1. The Commission set out its requirements for pilot projects for electronic transmission of fisheries data and for satellite vessel detection systems (VDS) to identify presence of vessels which are not monitored by satellite vessel monitoring systems (VMS).

 

  1. A question in the Parliament challenged the immutability of the principle of relative stability.  The Commission confirms that this can be amended by a qualified majority of the Council of Ministers.

 

  1. In a month for reflection, Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler gave a speech in Iceland on Fisheries Policy and the Future of the EU, and one on “Globalisation and the market economy”.

 

  1. The European Court, found against more UK salmon farmers claiming right of compensation for compulsorily destroyed salmon stock, required as a protective measure against viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious salmon anaemia (ISA).

 

  1. The Commission announced the renewal of direct subsidies (Euro 15 million/year until 2007) for certain fish species produced and marketed in the EU's Outermost Regions (Azores and Madeira, the Canary Islands and the French departments of Guyana and Reunion).

 

  1. Most members of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture had their positions renewed.

 

  1. Questions were asked in Parliament on the financial aspects of several of the EU fisheries external agreements and protocols (Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Mauritius and Russia).  Details of finances and status were provided in each case.

 

  1. In response to a question in the EU Parliament, the Commission announced that it will include a social clause in future EU-third country fishery agreements, covering employment conditions on EU vessels.

 

  1. A stop fishing notice was issued for Spanish vessels targeting blue ling.

 

 

Fish hygiene

 

  1. The Commission announced 39 rapid alerts for failure of imported fishery products to comply with health conditions. The guilty included India (black tiger shrimps), Tanzania (nile perch), South Africe (skate) and Seychelles (tuna).

 

  1. The EU Council amended the list of veterinary medicines permitted for use in aquaculture, to include the antiparasitic treatment Emamectin.

 

  1. The Commission extended the list of third countries from which the import of fishery products is permitted) to include Mayotte, Saint Pierre et Miquelon and Slovakia (live fish from aquaculture only).

 

  1. Pascal Lamy EU Trade Commissioner “expressed regret” that three countries (Argentina, Canada and the US) have taken the first step for a WTO action against the EU legislation on the labeling of GMOs in food.

 

  1. The European Commission published and explanatory note on the principles, policy and Community legal framework on the irradiation preservation 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.