Activites

• 2003/06/19 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T5-0297/2003 summary

    The European Parliament adopted its own-initiative report drafted by Niels BUSK (ELDR, DK) on the Commission Action Plan to reduce fish discards. (Please see the document dated 20/05/03.) Parliament pointed out that s the FAO has estimated the volume of fish discards within commercial fisheries at between 17.9 and 39.5 million tonnes worldwide, which far exceeds the EU's total fisheries production (catches and aquaculture) of 7.8 million tonnes. The optimal supply of fish depends on the fish being allowed to grow and spawn before they are caught, and some stocks have been reduced to a critical level partly as a result of catching and discarding juvenile fish at sea. Overall reductions in fishing effort on many fish stocks would help not only in stock recovery but also in the reduction of discards. Parliament asked the Commission to examine how the Regional Advisory Councils can be utilised to their greatest effect to reduce discards.�

• 2003/05/20 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A5-0163/2003
• #2500
• 2003/04/08 Council Meeting
• 2003/03/13 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2002/11/26 Non-legislative basic document published
  • COM(2002)0656 summary

    PURPOSE : to invite Member States, fisheries scientists and industry to join it in a collaborative effort to reduce discards. CONTENT : this communication deals with the problem of discarding of fish by the Community's fishing fleets in all areas of operation but with particular emphasis on Community waters of the north-east Atlantic, the Baltic and the Mediterranean. Its purpose is to provide a general overview of the magnitude of discarding; to analyse reasons for discarding; to indicate the biological and economic consequences of discarding; to indicate possibilities for reducing quantities discarded and future action by the Commission and Council. Discards can be defined as fish retained by a fishing gear which have been brought on board a fishing vessel and are thrown back into the sea. The Commission envisages that for all the major fisheries or methods of fishing where discards are known or perceived to be a problem actions needs to be developed, probably within forthcoming multi-annual management processes. These actions should be developed in close co-operation with the industry and relevant stakeholders and also within the proposed framework of Regional Advisory Committees. These plans could include: - development of a requirement for voluntary departure from fishing grounds when and/or where large quantities of discards are being generated; - development of conditions to increase the commercial value of fish of currently low value; - adoption of measures intended to reduce discarding incited by TAC/quota restrictions; - development of pilot projects to investigate innovative fishing practices which avoid or reduce discarding; - support for continuation of collection of data on quantities of fish discarded; - developed of improved technical measures including : - adoption of measures to ensure improved structure of fishing gears; - review of minimum landing sizes; - review of conditions defining species composition of catches to be taken with nets of specified mesh size; - review and or augmentation of closed or controlled areas and/or seasons including real-time closures; - consideration of the institution of a discard ban following the consultation process.�

  • DG [{'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/maritimeaffairs_fisheries/', 'title': 'Maritime Affairs and Fisheries'}],

Documents

• Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2002)0656
• Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A5-0163/2003
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T5-0297/2003

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)