REFORM OF THE COMMON FISHERIES POLICY

European Committee announces terms of reference and call for evidence

At their meeting of the 28 November, the European Committee agreed the terms of reference for its latest Inquiry ‘Options for reforming the Common Fisheries Policy: a Scottish Perspective’.

The objective of the Inquiry is to identify priorities for the Scottish fisheries sector in relation to the ongoing review of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and to provide input into the European Institutions during the initial stages of this review.

The Committee has agreed to hear evidence from fishing industry bodies, environmental NGOs, European Commission officials and Ministers/officials of the Scottish Executive. The Committee aims to report in the early part of 2001.

The Committee’s Inquiry will look primarily at the general principles of reform i.e. how can the CFP be improved, what new legislation may be required and how can Scotland’s interests be protected. The European Committee’s Inquiry will focus on the following issues:

• Zonal or regional management. The UK favours greater subsidiarity (although it should be noted that certain Member States favour the opposite extreme – a single EU zone and fleet). A decentralised fisheries regime could involve either a transfer of decision-making powers to local level, or regional solutions imposed by the Commission. What would regionalisation mean and how would decision-making and power be transferred in practice? What would the appropriate zones be and how would a strategic and fair approach that includes all stakeholders be ensured?

• Governance: How can you encourage better communication between the EU and Member States, fishermen, environmental groups and scientists? How can we ensure that scientific advice incorporates information and expertise provided by fishermen? How can we reduce unnecessary controls and simplify existing regulations? How can we improve the responsiveness of EU policy?

• Clarification of the socio-economic role of the CFP: How can the CFP encourage both sustainability and the socio-economic well-being of communities with a high level of fisheries dependency?

• The precautionary principle: How should this be applied to management and notably to setting the Total Allowable Catch (TAC), for example, by using trigger levels? Is there any alternative to setting a TAC? How effective are current effort controls? How can we build in more flexibility, such as by changing the quota period for species or regions and adding more year to year flexibility? Are there any specific proposals for multi-annual or multi-species TACs?

• Future fisheries limits, zones, and access: Should there be retention of the existing limits and closed boxes? Related to this, how might we address the problems of quota hopping, flag of convenience vessels and access for new Member States? How can we account for global or migratory stocks? Would it be beneficial to create a separate regime for the management of inshore fisheries at a regional level?

• Technical conservation measures and the integration of environmental policy into the CFP - such as zone closures (no take or conservation zones), nursery zones, selective gear to reduce discards and damage to the environment and mitigation measures to reduce bycatch of non-target species. What general principles could apply to this ? Are there any innovative solutions to the discard and bycatch problem?

• Full integration of aquaculture fisheries to the CFP. Should this be part of reform of the CFP and how might it be achieved?

If you are interested in sending the Committee your thoughts, then please do so in one of the following ways:

By email, to: stephen.imrie@scottish.parliament.uk

By post to:

Stephen Imrie
Clerk to the European Committee
Room 3.11, Committee Chambers
The Scottish Parliament
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh, EH99 1SP

Marking your submissions in either case, "Evidence – CFP Inquiry". If at all possible, electronic versions (MS Word) of your evidence are preferred.

The deadline for this information is the 5^th January 2001.