Fisheries Council (Hansard, 19 June 1995)

§ Mr. Jack

I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 15 June with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro).

The Council agreed unanimously ceilings on fishing effort in western waters as required by the agreement reached in December on the integration of Spain and Portugal into the common fisheries policy. The figures agreed reflect actual recent fishing effort and will enable UK fishermen to continue their normal patterns and levels of fishing activity without new restriction, provided effort does not increase. Limitations on the disposition of the Spanish fleet in the Irish box were also introduced with the result a maximum of eight vessels are allowed in the northern part and a maximum of 32 in the south.

The Commission presented to the Council its proposals for monitoring and inspection arrangements in western waters. These measures are important because they will provide the basis for enforcing effort controls. I confirmed to the Council that these proposals must be both practicable and realistic in terms of their application. The 79W Council agreed to consider them urgently so that they can be adopted before the end of this year and come into operation along with the effort controls from 1 January 1996.

Most member states indicated they could agree to a presidency compromise concerning a proposal for funds from the existing financial instrument for fisheries guidance to be used to support national early retirement schemes for fishermen and for compensation payments to crews of decommissioned vessels. The Commission's original proposals relating to bad weather payments and additional support for market price fluctuation were excluded. The United Kingdom continued to argue that such measures should be covered by national social polices and were not appropriate use of FIFG funds.

There was a discussion of drift net fishing and, once again, no conclusions were reached on the Commission's proposal, dating from last year, to phase out the use of drift nets. I emphasised the importance of drift net fishing to British fishermen. I also set out the arrangements, which we have in hand to ensure compliance with the rules in this summer's tuna fishery in the north-east Atlantic, and to discourage any possible disruption of fishing. The Council noted with satisfaction the measures being implemented by member states and the deployment of a vessel carrying Commission inspectors.

The Council discussed progress in the United Nations conference on straddling and highly migratory fish stocks. This conference is looking at ways of improving co-operation between states in the management of international fisheries. I stressed the importance of achieving a binding convention which will lead to more effective conservation of fish stocks in international waters and should reduce the risk of disputes. The Council agreed that the Community should continue to play a constructive role in the negotiations and decided that further work should he done in defining its position before the next session of the Conference.

The Council confirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the April agreement reached between the Community and Canada on fishing in the north-west Atlantic, including the important new provisions to secure effective enforcement. It agreed unanimously to adopt a regulation fixing the 1995 Community quota for Greenland halibut at 5,013 tonnes for the period from 16 April onwards.

The Council unanimously agreed a presidency compromise setting quotas for imports of fish into the Community at reduced rates of import duty for the remainder of 1995. The quotas on cod and haddock were set lower than proposed by the Commission, reflecting concern about weak market prices.

I drew the Council's attention to a Commission proposal to be considered by the Agriculture Council which would introduce harmonisation of inspection charges for fish. I said that, in the absence of distortion of the market, this is an unnecessary measure which could increase costs. I pressed my colleagues to look at the proposal critically, involving fisheries experts to the full.

I also took the opportunity of this meeting of the Council to invite Fisheries Ministers to consider a proposal made by the Government's panel on sustainable development that there should be an intergovernmental 80W panel on the oceans. The panel would be set the task of examining the science, assessing the human impact and putting in place a framework for the responsible management of the world's oceans. It would cover fish stocks, other marine resources and measures to cope with pollution. The Government are currently studying this proposal and wish to take into account the views of other member states before reaching conclusions.