WRITTEN QUESTION No. 123/98 by Esko SEPPÄNEN to the Commission. Ban on drift net fishing in the Baltic Sea
C 223/118 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 7. 98 A clear example of the Commissionís support is the aid assigned to measure 2. 2. 3 under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme for Galicia 1994-99, which will provide the Consorcio Santiagoí with funding amounting to ECU 31. 96 million, out of a total planned investment of ECU 44. 09 million. The Consorcio has been established by national, regional and local authorities involved in promoting and coordinating the activities and management necessary to prepare the city of Santiago de Compostela for the Santiago Year (1999) and its shared title of Cultural Capital of Europe in the year 2000. The activities cofinanced by the ERDF include improvement of the urban road system, tourist and sports facilities, renovation of the historic centre, restoration of monuments and facades, environmental measures for the rivers Sar and Sarela and for Monte Pedroso, as well as publications of a scientific and cultural nature. In future, projects to preserve and protect the cultural heritage that qualify as European heritage laboratoriesí will have to be submitted by the Member States and form the subject of specific applications to the Commission under the Raphael programme. (98/C 223/151) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0123/98 by Esko Seppa¤nen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (30 January 1998) Subject: Ban on drift net fishing in the Baltic Sea Naturally occurring salmon is an endangered species in the Baltic Sea area. National measures to protect it are not enough. Some 70% of the Baltic salmon catch is taken from the areas in which the salmon feed, in the main Baltic basin where the principal method of fishing is with driftnets. Driftnet fishing is an indiscriminate method, which traps indigenous as well as cultivated salmon. As a result of the low level of indigenous salmon stocks (only every 10th or 20th salmon is of the indigenous variety), driftnet fishing constitutes a long-term structural threat which may at any moment vitiate any further efforts to boost indigenous salmon stocks. Does the EU have plans to ban fishing with driftnets in the Baltic Sea as elsewhere? Answer given by Mrs Bonino on behalf of the Commission (13 March 1998) The Commission shares the concern of the Honourable Member for the wild salmon stocks in the Baltic Sea area. While there are indications of improvement, the wild stocks continue to need special protection measures and, on the initiative of the Community, a ásalmon action plan 1997-2010í was adopted by the International Baltic sea fisheries commission in February 1997. The plan offers new possibilities, but in order to meet the objective of achieving a natural production of at least 50% of the potential capacity of wild salmon rivers by the year 2010, all fisheries need to be considered. Concerning the issue of driftnet fishing by Community vessels, the Commissionís proposal of April 1994 included prohibition of the use of drift-nets in the Baltic Sea subject to a transitional phase. The proposal has however not yet been adopted as a qualified majority could not be established in the Fisheries Council. The proposal is still on the table and the Commission is appreciative of the efforts by the United Kingdom Presidency to establish a compromise solution that will be acceptable to all. The Commission will participate in the discussions in a constructive manner and will continue its effort regarding Community driftnet fishing in the Baltic Sea