|
WRITTEN QUESTION E-3101/01
by Struan Stevenson (PPE-DE), Niels Busk (ELDR),Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE),
Albert Maat (PPE-DE), Catherine Stihler (PSE),Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR),
Brigitte Langenhagen (PPE-DE), James Nicholson (PPE-DE),Robert Sturdy
(PPE-DE) and Neil Parish (PPE-DE) to the Commission
(13 November 2001)
Subject: Haddock fishing
What steps will the Commission take to prevent any further wanton
destruction of juvenile haddock, given that Danish fishing inspectors last
month discovered 114 tonnes of young haddock in a 543- tonne catch of a
Danish industrial fishing vessel?
Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission
(6 December 2001)
The Commission is aware of the problem referred to by the Honourable
Members.
Community rules on fishing already
severely limit the quantities of fish that may be taken as accidental
catches in industrial fisheries.
As part of its current work on
redrafting the Community's Regulation on Technical Measures(1) in the
context of a recovery plan for North Sea cod, the Commission is
considering a further reduction of the permitted percentage of species
such as cod, haddock and whiting which may be retained in catches of
industrial species. The current by-catch limits for other species would be
maintained.
As regards the enforcement of the above
Community rules, up to 20 % of the landings of industrial catches in
Denmark are sampled by the inspection authorities. The Danish authorities
detected this infringement of Community rules and have imposed an
administrative sanction on the fisherman concerned. His fishing licence
for industrial species has been revoked for one month. If there is
repetition of the offence, the sanctions will become increasingly severe. |
