Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 1626/94 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean'
C 73/102 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 3. 98 Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 1626/94 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean’ (98/C 73/24) On 6 October 1997 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal. The Economic and Social Committee decided to appoint Mr Quevedo Rojo as rapporteur- general for its opinion. At its 350th plenary session (meeting of 10 December 1997), the Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion with 75 votes in favour and two abstentions. 1. General comments 1. 1. On 27 March 1996 the Committee adopted an opinion on an earlier proposal to amend Regu- lation 1626/94. The Committee approved the proposal, believing that it would promote rational fishing of bluefin tuna by surface-set longlines in the Mediterra- nean, in keeping with resources. 1. 2. The earlier proposal entered into force as Council Regulation (EC) No 1075/96 on 10 June 1996, containing two articles amending Regulation 1626/94. 1. 3. The present proposal seeks to implement two recommendations concerning bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean, which the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) adopted at its 10th extraordinary session held in San Sebastian, Spain from 22 to 29 November 1996. These recommen- dations are designed to round off those adopted pre- viously. 2. Specific comments 2. 1. Given that: 2. 1. 1. Two EU Member States (France and Spain) are members of the ICCAT, and have therefore already agreed to comply with the recommendations. Brussels, 10 December 1997. 2. 1. 2. In March 1996 the Committee approved an earlier proposal to ban fishing of bluefin tuna by longliners greater than 24m in length during the period from 1 June to 31 July each year, because it felt that the proposal would promote a rational fisheries policy in keeping with resources. 2. 1. 3. The ICCAT has established two recommen- dations designed to reduce fishing to sustainable levels, and these recommendations are appropriate in view of the worrying state of bluefin tuna stocks. 2. 1. 4. proposal. The Committee approves the Commission 3. Conclusions 3. 1. The Committee recommends that the European Union and the countries directly concerned establish control mechanisms to ensure that the measures set out in the proposal are applied properly, as regards both fishing methods and the size of the fish landed. It is important that the protocol under which the 3. 2. EU acceded to the ICCAT enter into force as soon as possible: the countries which have not yet ratified it should do so. Cooperation measures must be adopted to fur- 3. 3. ther the implementation of the ICCAT recommendation in relation to a long term recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean. The President of the Economic and Social Committee Tom JENKINS