Activites

• 2010/11/23 Results of vote in Parliament
  • Results of vote in Parliament
  • T7-0421/2010 summary

    The European Parliament adopted by 618 votes to 15, with 19 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a multi-annual plan for the western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel and the fisheries exploiting that stock.The Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure (formerly known as the codecision procedure) which amends the Commission proposal as follows:Scope: the new management plan needs to take proper account of the activities of the small-scale fleets which have traditionally specialised in this fishery for the purposes of consumption of fresh fish. It is therefore important not to establish zones too far out to sea.Procedure for setting the TAC: several amendments have been introduced in order to adapt the proposal to the new legal basis laid down in the TFEU and to the ordinary legislative procedure (Article 43(2) TFEU), as this proposal was submitted by the Commission before the entry into force of the TFEU and under the consultation procedure.An amendment stipulates that each year the Council, acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 43(3) TFEU and after consultation of the STECF, shall decide on the TAC for western horse mackerel for the following year. It also stated that the TAC area for western horse mackerel defined in this regulation shall cover the entire geographical area identified by STECF as forming part of that area.The TAC´s zonal distribution for the Western horse mackerel defined in this Regulation shall take into account the specificity and purposes of the fleets involved, industrial or artisanal - for processing and external trade and for supplying high-quality fresh fish to the general public.Calculation of the TAC: where the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) is not able to estimate the level of discards including slipped fish (fish released in the water without being taken on board the vessel), the resolution suggests a fairer methodology than that proposed by the Commission. This would involve taking historic data on discards from the last 15 years into account.Calculation of the total removal for a year following an egg survey: Members want to introduce some flexibility in the mode of calculation of the total removal, by setting lower (70 000 tonnes) and upper limits (80 000 tonnes) for the minimal total removal amount. Article 290 of the TFEU (Delegated Acts): Parliament propose to delegate to the Commission, under  Article 290 TFEU, the power to adapt one of the components of the formula laid down in Article 7, paragraph 1 (c) and in the Annex - the weighting factor or the slope reflecting egg abundance, in order to adapt that parameter to new scientific advice.Fishing authorisation: several technical amendments have been proposed which aim to clarify the wording and make reference to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy (the new Control Regulation). The master of a fishing vessel not holding a fishing authorisation may retain on board horse mackerel and enter the area referred to in Article 11, paragraph 2, provided that the gear is lashed and stowed in accordance with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.In addition to the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) 1224/2009, prior to entering the area, the master of the vessel shall make an entry in his logbook, indicating the date and time that the last fishing operation ended and specifying the intended port of landing. Quantities of horse mackerel on board the vessel and not recorded in the logbook shall be deemed to have been taken within the area.

• 2010/11/22 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2010/10/28 Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
  • A7-0296/2010
• 2010/10/26 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
• 2009/12/02 Additional information
• 2009/07/14 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2009/04/21 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(2009)0189 summary

    PURPOSE: to establish a multi-annual plan for the western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) and the fisheries exploiting that stock.PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.BACKGROUND: in view of the Plan of Implementation adopted at the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002, the European Community is committed inter alia to maintaining or restoring stocks to levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield with the aim of achieving these goals for depleted stocks on an urgent basis and where possible not later than 2015. Moreover, during the 2002 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, the Commission and Council agreed to implement multi-annual plans and recovery plans concerning fisheries resources of interest to the Community.The Western stock of Atlantic horse mackerel is by far the most important of the three horse mackerel stocks which inhabit the Community's continental shelf. The current management system does not serve the horse mackerel situation very well. The biological information on this stock is not sufficient for a full stock assessment that would allow setting a fishing mortality target related to maximum sustainable yield and relate total allowable catches to scientific catch predictions. However, the index of egg abundance which is being calculated since 1977 in triennial international surveys can be used as a biological indicator for the development of the stock size.Advice from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) indicates that a harvest control rule based on the trend in egg abundance from the last three egg surveys would provide for sustainable stock management.IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the Commission considered three options:Option 1: no policy change: continue fixing the fishing possibilities as a yearly ad hoc exercise based on annual scientific advice and political considerations;Option 2: freezing or gradually reducing fishing pressure in view of the insufficient knowledge about the biological status of the stock;Option 3: management plan.The impact assessment concludes that the most suitable option is the one that consists of proposing a long-term management plan, which sets TACs stable for three years according to a harvest control rule based on a precautionary advice for the harvest level adjusted by a trend that reflects the tri-annual results of egg surveys.CONTENT: the plan's objective is to maintain the biomass of western horse mackerel at a level that ensures its sustainable exploitation, and to provide the highest long-term yield. To this end, the harvest control rule should be based in equal parts on precautionary advice given for average recruitment conditions, and on recent total allowable catches adjusted by a factor that reflects the recent trend in the stock abundance as measured through egg production.The proposal includes a provision for evaluation of management measures each sixth year from the date of entry into force of the Regulation. In view of the revision clause built into the plan, the harvest rule could be adapted to more precise scientific assessments once these are available.BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: the proposal has no implication for the Community budget.

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

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(2009)0189
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A7-0296/2010
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T7-0421/2010

History

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