reply
reply
Thank you for your correspondence about Article 47 of the Control Regulation. I share your concerns over this.
Unfortunately, the Article is not clearly drafted, but as far as I can understand it the European Commission intends it to apply only where there is a multi-annual (recovery) plan, for stocks outside safe biological limits, such as with cod and blue fin tuna and where the fishing is done from onboard a vessel. This means that it would not affect most recreational sea fisheries, including any done from onshore, or angling on inland waters.
As I understand it, the Commission's concern is with the substantial amounts that are caught by some recreational fisheries in relation to the species covered by the multi annual recovery plans. For example, it is estimated that in Italy (2007), 800 tonnes of blue fin tuna were caught by recreational fishers whilst the national quota is around 4,300 tonnes. On my reading, too, the Article is intended to prevent commercial fishing under the guise of recreational fishing.
That said, Article 47 sets a precedent of which we should be very wary. Please be assured that this point has already been raised with some force in the course of our deliberations in the Fisheries Committee. It seems clear that there will be amendments from committee members asking for the Article to be deleted from the proposal or, failing that, amended very substantially indeed.
I should add, though, that under the current procedures, the Parliament can only give an opinion and the final decision is taken by the Council of Fisheries Ministers. So, it would be useful, too, for you to make the government directly aware of your views on the issue.
Yours sincerely,
Elspeth Attwooll MEP