WRITTEN QUESTION No. 505/98 by Dominique SOUCHET to the Commission. Prohibition on the use of driftnets
11. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 386/21 In order to improve the effectiveness, visibility and innovative character of future Community Initiatives, the Commission plans, in its proposal for a regulation on the next programming period for the structural funds (1), to focus solely on three topics of common interest to be allocated 5 % of funding: cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation; rural development; and human resources, paying special attention to equal opportu- nities. Despite a relative decrease in the share allocated to the Community Initiatives, the increased Structural Funds budget should facilitate better quality measures. While reducing the number of topics, the Commission is aware that the quality of the method and the approach used by the Community Initiatives must be maintained in order to preserve, and indeed bring out more clearly, the innovative character of these measures and the value added by the Community, and to develop stronger partnerships. (1) COM(98) 131 final. (98/C 386/025) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0503/98 by Dominique Souchet (I-EDN) to the Commission (2 March 1998) Subject: Prohibition on the use of driftnets The United Nations Resolution of 22 December 1989 clearly lays down the principle that, as a precaution, á large- scale pelagic driftnet fishingí should be prohibited whatever the region or fishery. The Community has already settled the question of the definition of large driftnet by fixing its upper limit as 2. 5 km in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean by the Regulation of 27 January 1992 issued in application of that resolution. Why does the Council wish to prohibit the use of driftnets in the Atlantic although they are already restricted to 2. 5 km and it is allowing fishing with 21 km driftnets to continue in the Baltic Sea? Does the Council believe that this measure is fair, non-discriminatory and just? (98/C 386/026) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0505/98 by Dominique Souchet (I-EDN) to the Commission (2 March 1998) Subject: Prohibition on the use of driftnets According to the Commissionís latest proposals, the use of driftnets would be prohibited on the high seas in the Atlantic and still be authorised in coastal waters. In these circumstances, driftnets would be prohibited for French fishermen fishing for deep-sea albacove tuna (Azorean area) and solely authorised for Spanish fishermen, since one of the migration routes of this species passes along the Spanish Cantabrian coast (Iberian area). In other words, driftnets would be regarded as ágoodí fishing gear (in other words selective not harmful to shipping or the natural migration routes of tuna, etc. ) within the twelve-mile limit and ábadí fishing gear beyond that limit in the international zones situated more than 500 km offshore. Can the Commission explain the scientific, ecological or technical arguments justifying these different rules so that French fishermen are not under the impression that the latter favour Spain and Portugal to their detriment?