FISHFILES LITE JANUARY 2004
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. EU Fisheries Control Agency to be established in Vigo from 2006.
2. EU to introduce new sardine labelling following decision of the WTO Panel
3. New financial contributions to Italy to assist with satellite vessel monitoring systems.
4. Rates of Community funding set for Member State investments in fisheries monitoring and surveillance.
5. New regulation on data requirements for fishing vessel registers.
6. The EU Parliament published opinions on the environmental protection component of the CFP.
7. The Commission published proposals for recovery measures for sole southern hake and Norway lobster.
8. Anti-dumping duty imposed on Faeroe Island and Norwegian rainbow trout amended.
9. The EU and Norway concluded negotiations on mutual fishing possibilities for 2004.
10. EU Parliament questioned the Commission on fisheries enforcement capacities and activities in Member States.
11. EU Parliament questioned the Commission on transparent goby.


Fish Hygiene

12. Forty rapid alerts were notified; Southeast Asia is a major culprit.
13. Italy reported 8 cases of histamine in tuna fillets from Indonesia; plus salmonella and illegal CO treatment.
14. List 2 (third countries which are not yet covered by a specific decision) to be extended until 31 December 2005.
Commission lifts ban on the importation of fishery products from Angola.
15. European Food Safety Authority will be located in Parma.
16. The Food and Veterinary Office DG SANCO reports on an inspection mission to Belarus. Not good.
17. Special import conditions set for fishery products from Serbia and Montenegro.
18. Special import conditions set for fishery products from Egypt.
19. Special import conditions set for fishery products from Kenya.
20. Special import conditions set for fishery products from Guyana.
21. Updated List 1 (third countries subject to a specific decision).
22. Commission lifts restrictions on the import of Peruvian bivalve molluscs and gastropods.
23. EU Parliament questions France's capacity to control shellfish toxins
24. New EU Directive on food additives.
25. Germany, Italy, France, and Spain approved more VHS and IHN disease free zones..


Common Fisheries Policy

1. In a speech in Vigo, Commissioner for Fisheries Dr.Fischler announced the intention to establish an EU Fisheries Control Agency. Fed up with perennial infringements of the rules by some Member States, the Commission is proposing the new agency to strengthen the monitoring of fisheries enforcement activities. There will be an approved inspection strategy, clear benchmarks and common priorities. Detailed proposals for the agency, with proposed location in Vigo, are to be published by the Commission in March 2004 with a view to starting operations in 2006.

2. Following the World Trade Organisation Panel 2002 decision to support the Peruvian claim to apply the term sardine to Sardinops sagax (and other sardine species), the EU Parliament asked the Commission what further protectionist measures might be introduced to prevent "European consumers (being) confused by this".  The Trade Commissioner Mr. Lamy promised to act to protect consumers and to "avoid any possible risk of misleading".

3. The Commission decided to amend the financial contributions from the Community to Italy to assist with the expenses of extending of satellite vessel monitoring systems to the 18-24m fleet segment.

4. The Commission also set the rates of Community funding support for certain Member State investments in fisheries monitoring and surveillance, including 100% grant for electronic data transmission and remote sensing of fisheries activities.

5. The Commission passed a new regulation revising the data required to be stored on Member States' registers of fishing vessels; it requires registration of aquaculture vessels, and allocation of a new Community fleet registration number.

6. The EU Parliament published its resolution on the environmental protection component of the CFP, acknowledging fishermen as victims of environmental impairment, and calling for a more detailed study of the impacts of industrial fishing, and along the way expressing concern over genetically modified fish.

7. The Commission published proposed emergency measures for recovery of sole stocks in the western Channel and Bay of Biscay, and southern hake and Norway lobster in the Cantabrian Sea and western Iberian Peninsula. Measures include rules for the setting of total allowable catches (TACs), some closed areas, restrictions on fishing effort and stricter enforcement measures.

8. The Commission amended the 2003 anti-dumping duty imposed on Faeroe Island and Norwegian rainbow trout following receipt of minimum selling price undertakings from two Faeroese producers.

9. The European Commission and Norway concluded negotiations on mutual fishing possibilities for 2004.

10. The EU Parliament questioned the Commission on fisheries enforcement capacities and activities in Member States, including numbers of officers, arrests and prosecutions in each country. The response sets out the level of resources, and refers to a 2001 report on fisheries infringements.

11. The EU Parliament questioned the Commission on the impact of a potential ban on fishing for transparent goby in the region of Livorno, Italy. The Commission states that within the new proposals for sustainable Mediterranean fisheries, this fishery may still be pursued with encircling gears or bottom seining.


Fish Hygiene

12. Forty rapid alerts were notified during the last week of 2003, and January 2004, for failure to comply with health conditions for fishery products. Southeast Asia continues to feature heavily on the list of repeat offenders, with rejections of consignments from Indonesia (tuna, shrimp), Singapore (swordfish), Korea (surimi), Malaysia (shrimp), Bangladesh (shrimp) and Vietnam (catfish).

13. Italy reported that 8 cases of histamine contamination were found in vacuum-packed frozen tuna fillets from Indonesia (imported via Holland).  The consignments were also contaminated with salmonella and it was suspected had received illegal treatment with carbon monoxide. So far no ban is proposed.

14. The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health Committee voted to prolong List 2 until 31 December 2005, relating to health certification for fishery products and live bivalve molluscs from third countries which are not yet covered by a specific decision.

15. The Commission removed the ban on the importation of fishery products from Angola (even though exports were officially suspended in 2002 on a "voluntary" basis).

16. Following much delay, the EU summit in December decided that the European Food Safety Authority will be located in Parma; its 2004 budget was also approved. Board meetings will be held in public, bringing a welcome transparency to the neighbourhood.

17. The Food and Veterinary Office DG SANCO reported on an inspection mission to Belarus, for the purpose of assessing health conditions for the export of fishery products to the EU.  There are 8 government departments claiming to be the Competent Authority, no legal basis for approval, no defined approval conditions or procedures, claimed accredited laboratories were unable to produce any documentation and detection limits on heavy metals were higher than the Maximum Residue Limits. Conditions were not considered to be equivalent to Directive 91/493. All for 14 tonnes of herring and one exporter.

18. The Commission set out the special import conditions for fishery products from Serbia and Montenegro. Imports will be limited to defined categories of fish.

19. The Commission set out the special import conditions for fishery products from Egypt, nominating the Competent Authority, and listing one approved establishment.

20. The Commission set out the special import conditions for fishery products from Kenya, nominating the Competent Authority, and listing 14 approved establishments.

21. The Commission set out the special import conditions for fishery products from Guyana, nominating the Competent Authority, and listing one approved establishment.

22. The Commission updated the list of approved third countries which may supply fishery products to the EU, following approval of specific import conditions (List 1) for Guyana, Kenya, Serbia and Montenegro and Egypt.

23. The Commission decided to lift restrictions on the import of Peruvian bivalve molluscs and gastropods, following receipt of satisfactory guarantees. However imports will be restricted to certain processed products.

24. The EU Parliament questioned the Commission on the capacity of the Competent Authorities in France to test for ASP (amnesic shellfish toxin) in scallops. Commissioner Byrne reports that DG SANCO reported on the system in 2001 and no specific problems were identified.

25. A new EU Directive was introduced modifying the permitted food additives, in particular adjusting the definition of stabilisers and use of additives in flavourings incorporated into foods.

26. Germany, Italy, France, and Spain approved more disease free zones with regard to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN).


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.


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