Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Latvian waters
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 04. 12. 1997 COM(97) 663 final Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Latvian waters (presented by the Commission) EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM Consultations between the Community and Latvia took place in Riga from 23 to 24 October 1997 and resulted in an Agreed Record of conclusions defining a reciprocal fisheries arrangement for 1998. These consultations were held on the basis of the new Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia, signed in Brussels on 19 December 1996. The fisheries arrangement for 1998 provides for, inter alia, certain catch quotas for Community vessels in the Latvian fishing zone in the framework of the exchange of fishing possibilities and reciprocal access quotas. , The purpose of this proposal for a regulation is to allocate among Member States the quotas available in 1998 to Community vessels fishing in the Latvian zone under the above mentioned arrangement. As a consequence of the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the European Union, in particular Article 121, paragraph 1, footnote 9 of the table, Member States of the Community, as constituted before enlargement, have been compensated for their lower share of the cod stock up to the level required by the Council Declaration. Latvia is compensated for the quotas obtained in its waters by way of a financial contribution of ECU 430,300, in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia. Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /98 of. December 1997 allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Latvian waters THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture(1), and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas, in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Agreement on fisheries relations between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia ', and in particular Articles 3 and 6 thereof, the Community and Latvia have held consultations concerning their mutual fishing rights for 1998 and the management of common living resources; Whereas, in the course of these consultations, the delegations agreed to recommend to their respective authorities that certain catch quotas for 1998 should be fixed for the vessels of the other Party; Whereas the necessary measures should be taken to implement, for 1998, the results of the consultations held with Latvia; Whereas to ensure efficient management of the catch possibilities available in Latvian waters, quotas should be allocated among Member States in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92; Whereas the fishing activities covered by this Regulation are subject to the control measures provided for by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy* , Whereas additional' conditions for the year-to-year management of TACs and. quotas, in accordance with the provisions laid down in Article 2 of Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96(4), were not agreed with Latvia, (i) (2) (3) (4) OJ No L 389, 31. 12. 1992, p. 1. Regulation as amended by the 1994 Act of Accession. OJNoL 332,20. 12. 1996, p. 1. OJNo L 261,20. 10. 1993, p. 1. OJ No LI 15, 9. 5. 1996, p. 3. Whereas, for imperative reasons of common interest, this Regulation will apply from 1 January 1998, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 From 1 January to 31 December 1998, vessels flying the flag of a Member State are hereby authorised to make catches within the quota limits set out in the Annex in waters falling within the fisheries jurisdiction of Latvia. Article 2 The financial contribution provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement on fisheries relations between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia shall be set for the period referred to in Article 1 at ECU 430,300, payable to an account designated by Latvia. Article 3 Stocks referred to in the Annex shall not be subject to the conditions laid down in Articles 2, 3 and 5 (2) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96. Article 4 This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply from 1 January 1998. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels,. December 1997. For the Council The President ANNEX Allocation of Community catch quotas in Latvian waters for 1998 (in metric tonnes, fresh round weight; for salmon: numbers of individual fish) Spcies I ÎCES division •- * ' Conmutijft$g£& catch quollspf; ^t««aîltéated to Member States Cod Herring Salmon Sprat FINANCIAL STATEMENT 1. TITLE: Proposal for a Council Regulation allocating for 1998 catch quotas between Member States for vessels fishing in Latvian waters. 2. BUDGETARY LINE CONCERNED: B7-800 3. LEGAL BASIS: Article 8 (4) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 - 4. DESCRIPTION: 4. 1 General objectives: • • • rnaintain and develop the traditional activity of Community fishermen in Latvian waters; supply the Community market; decrease the fishing effort in Community waters. 4. 2 Period covered: Year 1998 5. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE: 5. 1 DO 5. 2 CD •' 6. TYPE OF EXPENDITURE: Financial compensation paid for fishing possibilities in Latvian waters. 7. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES: ECU 430,300 The financial compensation provided for in Article 4 of the Agreement has been negotiated on the basis of average landing prices for 1996 in Community ports in the Baltic Sea. A deduction has been made for estimated fleet exploitation costs for each of the species. 7. 1 Method of calculation: Quota obtained (in tonnes) 1,400 32,5 1,200 6,500 4É^fflH * SPRAT Weighted average landing prices 1996(ECU/tonne) Market value (in ECUs) Negotiated (percentage) In ECUs 908 2,284 166. 81 84. 75 1,271,200 25% 317,800 74,230 25% 18,558 ,i ' 200,172 12. 5% 25,020 550,875 12. 5% 68,900 Total financial compensation (Article 4): ECU 430,300 Average price ECU/tonne: 47. 11 ANTI-FRAUD PROVISIONS: The financial contribution granted by the Community is utilised by Latvia to finance the Latvian Fish Fund and the development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of fisheries, in accordance with article 4 of the Agreement. The amount is administered by the National Board of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia. ELEMENTS OF COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS: The Community fleet in the Baltic Sea has been severely hit by reductions in catch possibilities, mainly due to biological factors (low salinity of the water and the M-74 disease) and pollution of the water. Any increase in fishing possibilities above current critical catch levels will contribute towards preventing the fleet, and connected industries and services ashore, from collapsing and disappearing. This will also avoid, to a certain extent, payments under lay-up schemes or social programmes. Experience has taught us that the financial compensation, similar to that paid in 1997, has mainly been used by Latvia for the continued improvement of scientific research on fisheries and the training of fisheries managers. This has entailed improved scientific assessment and enforcement in the fishery zone of Latvia and has contributed to a more rational exploitation of the stocks, to the benefit of all concerned in the Baltic Sea. Tne expenses proposed are foreseen in the budgetary planning for the period concerned. 10. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES: The proposal does not require new Commission staff or additional administrative costs. ISSN 0254-1475 COM(97) 663 final DOCUMENTS EN 03 11 14 Catalogue number : CB-CO-97-680-EN-C ISBN 92-78-28643-5 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg 8