Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:21 am
Avril Doyle is the vice chairwomen of The Parliaments Fisheries Committee. During a P.F.C meeting on January 21st last, an exchange of views resulted in agreement that further debate on Article 47 was necessary, and that a reconsideration of the place of recreational sport in an industrial regulation mechanism (i.e the revamped CFP) was due.
Below is a recent press release which articulates Avril Doyles position.
Sea Angling has no part in CFP Compliance
says Avril Doyle
Brussels, 22nd of January, 2009
Speaking after yesterday's meeting of the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee Avril Doyle MEP for Ireland East and Vice-Chair of the Committee said that the prospects for the controversial Article 47 (of the draft proposal on the Community Control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy) concerning the inclusion Recreational Fisheries surviving in its current state are slim to none. The level of concern expressed from colleagues as well as constituents not only in Ireland, but in Scotland and the rest of Europe has meant that the Rapporteur, Mr. Romera I Rueda, has agreed to revisit this Article.
"The CFP control and compliance system needs reform, with priority on need for equivalence of controls and the harmonising of sanctions across the EU, as well as on the proportionality of responses to infringements as recommended by the European Court of Auditors. The Commission provided examples of fines for the same infringements in different EU member states which astoundingly ranged from 100 to 6,000 Euros. This is completely unacceptable."
"I will be proposing an amendment to delete Article 47 from the report to remove recreational sea fisheries from the scope of the controls. There is good support in the Committee for this move. While it currently would cover off shore sea angling of fish stocks under Recovery Plans, (Blue Fin Tuna and Cod Stocks) we need to establish a record of even handed EU wide compliance in commercial fishing before extending the scope of the Common Fisheries Policy to recreational activities. Article 47 is unworkable and scientifically unjustified as in the main, recreational anglers are conservationists by nature and have a record of co-operating fully with the management of any vulnerable stocks. However the Council of Ministers will have the final say," she said.
Date: Thursday 22 January 2009