SEVENTH REPORT
The European Scrutiny Committee has agreed to the
following Report:—
1. FISHERIES: CATCHES,
QUOTAS AND EFFORT LIMITATION 2003
(a)
(23079)
15245/01
COM(01) 724
|
Draft Council Regulation establishing measures for the recovery of cod and hake stocks.
|
(b)
(24091)
15246/02
COM(02) 727
|
Draft Council Regulation fixing for 2003 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Community waters and, for Community vessels, in waters where limitations in catch are required.
|
|
|
| Legal base: | Article 37 EC; qualified majority voting
|
| |
| Document originated: | (b) 11 December 2002
|
| Deposited in Parliament: | (b) 16 December 2002
|
| Department: | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
|
| Basis of consideration: | EM of 10 January 2003
|
| Previous Committee Report: | (a) HC 152-xxii (2001-02), paragraph 13 (20 March 2002), HC 152-xxxvii (2001-02), paragraph 2 (17 July 2002) and HC 63-v (2002-03), paragraph 3 (18 December 2002)
|
| Agreed in Council: | 20 December 2002
|
| Committee's assessment: | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision: | (Both) For debate on the Floor of the House
|
Background
1.1 Each year, the Fisheries Council agrees the Total
Allowable Catches (TACs) for particular fish stocks in the following
calendar year, based on advice from the Advisory Committee on
Fisheries Management (ACFM) of the International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea (ICES), and of the Commission's Scientific
and Technical Committee for Fisheries. In those cases where particular
fisheries are jointly managed with third countries, the Council
agrees the Community share following negotiations with the countries
concerned; and, once the relevant TACs for the Community as a
whole have been decided or negotiated, the Fisheries Council allocates
the catch between Member States in the form of national quotas
according to a predetermined key. At the same time, the conditions
under which the quotas may be fished are specified.
The current proposal
1.2 These annual proposals habitually present scrutiny
difficulties, in that official texts are very often unavailable,
requiring us to rely substantially on the Explanatory Memorandum
provided by the Government. On this occasion, however, these usual
difficulties were compounded by the fact that the lateness of
the Commission's proposals (document (b)) made it impossible for
the Government to supply an Explanatory Memorandum prior to their
adoption by the Council on 20 December 2002 as Regulation 2341/2002.[1]
As a result, we have only now received an Explanatory Memorandum,
dated 10 January 2003, from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary
of State (Commons) at the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (Mr Elliot Morley).
1.3 This deals with the agreements reached on:
- TACs and national quota allocations for fish stocks in Community
waters;
- quotas for Community vessels in Third Country waters, and
in international waters regulated by regional fisheries organisations.
In doing so, it also covers the decisions reached on the recovery
measures proposed by the Commission in December 2001 (document
(a)) to address the particular problems facing the cod and hake
stocks in the North Sea and West of Scotland.
1.4 As before, these allocations form the corner-stone
of the opportunities available to Community fishermen in the coming
12 months, and the table in Annex I below shows, for the major
stocks of interest to the UK in the North Sea, West of Scotland,
Channel and Irish Sea fisheries, the proposed TACs for 2003, together
with the corresponding ICES recommendations. It also sets out,
by way of comparison, the figures agreed for 2000, 2001 and 2002,
and the percentage changes that would arise as between 2002 and
2003.
1.5 The Minister says that the Council started by examining
a Commission proposal whose central element was severe cuts, equating
to an 80% reduction in fishing mortality, in the TACs for the
cod stocks for which the scientists recommended a fishing moratorium,
together with the species (haddock and whiting) most closely associated
with them. Substantial TAC cuts were also recommended for other
associated species.
1.6 The Minister points out that higher TACs than those
proposed by the Commission were adopted by the Council alongside
an emergency recovery measure for cod, based on a much simplified
approach which the Commission brought forward in the course of
the Council. He then goes on to describe the recovery measure,
which will control effort from 1 February 2003 by limiting the
days which may be spent at sea by vessels over 10 metres in length
which catch cod in the North Sea, West of Scotland, and the Skaggerak
and Kattegat. Different limitations (expressed as numbers of days
absent from port per calendar month) are set according to the
type of gear carried. As a consequence, some vessels (such as
pelagic trawlers) fall outside the scheme altogether, whilst nephrops
vessels will be allowed 25 days per month. He points out that
the number of days to be allowed for whitefish demersal trawlers
was absolutely critical for the UK, given the unacceptable and
devastating effect which the Commission's opening suggestion of
seven days per calendar month would have had on the UK's industry.
He says that the eventual outcome was that the UK secured a commitment
that, under the terms of the various conditions attached to the
limitations in the Community measure, UK whitefish trawlers would
be allowed a total of 15 days absent from port per month.
1.7 The Minister adds that the measure allows for some
flexibility to move days between months and between vessels, and
that the operational details for these new arrangements will be
worked up urgently, in close consultation with the industry. He
says that the Council and the Commission envisage that, with this
emergency measure in place, a more sophisticated regime will be
developed for implementation from 1 July 2003, based on proposals
to be brought forward by the Commission by 15 February, and agreed
by the Council by the end of March.
1.8 The Minister says that, on this basis, the Council
set TACs and quotas for 2003 which broadly maintain 2002 levels
for pelagic stocks and nephrops, but significantly reduce those
for key whitefish species such as cod, haddock, whiting and anglerfish.
He notes that reductions of the order of 50% in the TACs for these
latter species in the North Sea and West of Scotland represents
a considerable gain in fishing opportunities compared with the
Commission's original proposals, whilst significantly enhancing
the prospects for the recovery of these stocks in the long term.
The closure to sandeel fishing of the area off the north-east
British coast, as applied for the last three years, is renewed
for 2003. For Irish Sea stocks, it was agreed that the 2002 cod
recovery arrangements, which include a springtime closure of part
of the Irish Sea, should continue for 2003 with reduced TACs for
such stocks as cod, haddock and whiting.
— UK quotas in Third Country and international waters
1.9 The Community has a large number of fisheries agreements
with Third Countries, and, in many such cases, the UK has little
or no direct interest. However, four agreements — those
with Norway, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland —
do provide catching opportunities for UK fishermen, and the UK
also has quotas in waters regulated by the North East Atlantic
Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and the North West Atlantic Fisheries
Organisation (NAFO).
1.10 These quotas, which are important for the UK distant
water fleet, are summarised in the table at Annex II. There is
no change in quotas in Icelandic waters; fishing opportunities
for redfish and ling/blue ling in Faroese waters were cut by 10%;
and the outcome of the Community's negotiations with Norway reflected
the cuts in whitefish quotas in the North Sea agreed as part of
the overall TACs and quotas package, although the TAC for saithe
was increased from 135,000 to 165,000 tonnes. There was also a
small increase in the haddock and saithe fishing opportunities
for the Community at north Norway.
— Third Country quotas in Community waters
1.11 Access is provided for Norwegian and Faroese vessels
to certain quotas in the Community zone of the North Sea and in
Western waters and for Faroese, Icelandic and Norwegian vessels
to quotas held by the Community in Greenland waters. These opportunities
are provided as part of a balanced exchange of quotas between
the Community and the countries concerned, and the relevant quotas
for 2003, as compared with 2002, are set out in the table at Annex
III.
— Other species
1.12 As part of the Commission's obligations as a contracting
party to the International Commission for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), rollover quotas have been set for bluefin
tuna, albacore tuna and swordfish, and, although the UK does not
have a directed fishery for bluefin tuna or swordfish, it takes
limited quantities in other Atlantic fisheries and thus benefits
from small amounts of unallocated quota enabling it to continue
to land by-catches. The UK does however have a very small amount
of the quota for albacore tuna.
Conclusions
1.13 Although we recognise that the situation faced
has arisen for reasons outside the Government's control, it is
nevertheless quite unacceptable that the Commission's proposals
should have been deposited in the House only at the start of the
Council meeting in which decisions were to be taken, and that
we are only now - nearly four weeks later - able to consider them
on the basis of an Explanatory Memorandum.
1.14 As we have noted previously in connection with
the recovery plans for cod and hake, this makes meaningful parliamentary
scrutiny well nigh impossible, and is all the more regrettable
in view of the severe nature of the cuts imposed on many whitefish
stocks and of the additional effort restrictions agreed on cod.
As it is, we can at this stage do little more than recommend that
the two sets of proposals should be debated on the Floor of the
House, in order to give Members the opportunity to question the
Government on the implications of the measures which have been
taken. Indeed, we understand that the proposals on TACs (but not
the recovery plan for cod) form part of a motion on fisheries
which is before the House on 16 January.
ANNEX I
COMPARATIVE TABLES OF TACs: 2000, 2001, 2002 AND 2003
(tonnes)
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
Proposal
|
Agreed |
% ch 2003/02
|
Herring |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I, II |
|
|
73,840
|
p.m |
35,500
|
-52*
|
IVa, b |
240,000
|
265,000 |
146,327 |
p.m
|
224,458 |
53
|
IVc, VIIId |
25,000
| |
42,673
| |
59,542
|
40
|
Vb, VIaN, VIb |
42,000 |
36,360
|
36,360 |
30,000
|
29,340 |
-19
|
VIa (Clyde) |
1,000
|
1,000 |
1,000
|
1,000 |
1,000
|
0
|
VIIa |
5,350
|
6,900 |
4,800
|
4,800 |
4,800
|
0
|
VIIe,f |
1,000
|
1,000 |
1,000
|
1,000 |
1,000
|
0
|
VIIg,h,j,k |
21,000
|
20,000 |
8,000
|
7,800 |
13,000
|
62.5
|
Cod |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
81,000 |
48,600
|
41,620 |
p.m
|
22,659 |
-45
|
Vb, VI,
XII, XIV
|
7,480 |
3,700
|
4,600 |
972
|
1,808 |
-60
|
VIIa |
2,100
|
2,100 |
3,200
|
1,200 |
1,950
|
-40
|
VIIb-k, VIII, IX, X
|
16,000 |
10,500
|
8,700 |
5,220
|
6,700 |
-23
|
Megrim |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
4,840 |
4,360
|
4,360 |
4,360
|
4,360 |
0
|
VII |
17,920
|
15,000 |
13,350
|
12,015 |
14,336
|
7.5
|
Anglerfish
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
|
14,130 |
10,500
|
6,300 |
7,000
|
-33
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
8,000 |
6,400
|
4,770 |
2,862
|
3,180 |
-33
|
VII |
23,000
|
21,700 |
18,600
|
12,759 |
15,810
|
-18
|
Haddock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
73,000
|
61,000 |
77,935
|
p.m |
39,521
|
-49
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
19,000 |
13,900
|
14,100 |
7,180
|
8,675 |
-39
|
VII, VIII, IX, X |
13,200 |
12,000
|
9,300 |
7,460
|
8,185 |
-12
|
Whiting |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
30,000
|
29,700 |
32,358
|
p.m |
12,294
|
-62
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
4,300 |
4,000
|
3,500 |
1,400
|
2,000 |
-43
|
VIIa |
2,640
|
1,390 |
1,000
|
400 |
500
|
-50
|
VIIb-k |
22,500
|
21,000 |
31,700
|
20,200 |
31,700
|
0
|
Hake |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
1,480
|
870 |
946
|
948 |
1,053
|
11
|
Vb, VI, VII, XII, XIV
|
23,600 |
13,920
|
15,118 |
15,140
|
16,823 |
11
|
Nephrops |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
17,200
|
15,480 |
16,623
|
15,792 |
16,623
|
0
|
Vb, VI |
12,600
|
11,340 |
11,340
|
10,773 |
11,340
|
0
|
VII |
21,000
|
18,900 |
17,790
|
16,901 |
17,790
|
0
|
Plaice |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
97,000
|
78,000 |
73,110
|
p.m |
69,282
|
-5
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
2,400 |
1,920
|
1,728 |
1,210
|
1,534 |
-11
|
VIIa |
2,400
|
2,000 |
2,400
|
1,181 |
1,675
|
-30
|
VIId,e |
6,500
|
6,000 |
6,690
|
4,020 |
5,970
|
-11
|
VIIf,g |
800
|
760 |
680
|
408 |
660
|
-3
|
VIIh-k |
1,350
|
1,215 |
1,080
|
582 |
582
|
-46
|
Pollack |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
1,100 |
1,100
|
1,100 |
880
|
880 |
-22
|
VII |
17,000
|
17,000 |
17,000
|
13,600 |
17,000
|
0
|
Saithe |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IIIb-d, IV |
85,000 |
87,000
|
66,150 |
p.m
|
79,300 |
20
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
7,000 |
9,000
|
14,000 |
p.m
|
17,119 |
22
|
VII, VIII, IX, X |
6,500 |
5,600
|
8,710 |
8,725
|
8,710 |
0
|
Mackerel |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IIIa-d, IV |
|
|
25,798
|
p.m |
22,063
|
-15 |
IIa, Vb, VI, VII, VIIIa,b, d,e, XII, XIV
|
|
|
345,012
|
p.m |
310,808
|
-10
|
| | |
| |
| |
Sole |
|
|
|
|
|
|
II, IV |
22,000
|
19,000 |
16,000
|
13,500 |
15,850
|
-1
|
Vb, VI, XII, XIV |
155 |
140
|
125 |
88
|
106 |
-15
|
VIIa |
1,080
|
1,100 |
1,100
|
701 |
1,010
|
-8
|
VIId |
4,100
|
4,600 |
5,200
|
5,400 |
5,400
|
+4
|
VIIe |
660
|
600 |
525
|
263 |
394
|
-25
|
VIIfg |
1,160
|
1,020 |
1,070
|
1,240 |
1,240
|
16
|
VIIh,j,k |
720
|
650 |
650
|
390 |
390
|
-40
|
Sprat |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
225,000
|
232,000 |
220,000
|
p.m |
240,000
|
9
|
VIId,e |
12,000
|
12,000 |
12,000
|
9,000 |
9,600
|
-20
|
Horse Mackerel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IIa, IV |
51,000 |
51,000
|
49,400 |
p.m
|
41,667 |
-16
|
Vb, VI, VII, VIIIa, b,d,e, XII, XIV
|
240,000 |
240,000
|
143,600 |
93,946
|
130,000 |
-9
|
p.m. to be confirmed
* to be reviewed before the end of April 2003
TACs are defined in terms of areas designated by ICES. Those of
most immediate relevance to the UK correspond roughly to the following
geographical regions:
Area II |
North Sea N of 62°
|
Area IV |
North Sea S of 62°
|
Area Vb |
Faroes
|
Area VI |
West of Scotland
|
Area VIIa |
Irish Sea
|
Area VIIb,c,h,j,k |
Western approaches
|
Area VII d, e |
English Channel
|
Area VIIfg |
Celtic Sea
|
Area VIII |
Bay of Biscay
|
ANNEX II
TABLE OF UK EXTERNAL WATERS QUOTAS
Outcome of Commission negotiations in terms of UK Quotas in Third Country Waters and the Waters of Regional Fisheries Organisations
|
|
|
|
|
Location/Species
|
2002 Quota (tonnes)
|
2003 Quota (tonnes)
|
% Change
|
North Norway
|
|
|
|
Cod |
7,666
|
7,666
|
0
|
Haddock |
1,216
|
1,446
|
21
|
Saithe |
231
|
257
|
11
|
Redfish |
300
|
300
|
0
|
Greenland Halibut
|
50
|
50
|
0
|
Other species |
240 |
240 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
Faroe Islands
|
|
|
|
Cod/haddock |
430
|
430
|
0
|
Saithe |
580
|
580
|
0
|
Redfish |
75
|
67
|
-10
|
Blue ling/ling |
205 |
184 |
-10 |
Blue Whiting |
0 |
16,000
|
|
Flatfish |
680
|
680
|
0
|
Other species |
180 |
180 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
Greenland |
|
|
|
Cod |
364
|
364
|
0
|
Redfish (east) |
175 |
175 |
0 |
Redfish (west) |
105 |
105 |
0 |
Greenland Halibut (east)
|
212
|
193
|
-9
|
Roundnose Grenadier
(east)
|
86
|
86
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
Iceland |
|
|
|
Redfish |
1,160
|
1,160
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
NEAFC |
|
|
|
Redfish |
23
|
27
|
17
|
Atlanto-scandian herring
|
16,459
|
Not agreed
|
n.a
|
|
|
|
|
NAFO |
|
|
|
Cod 3NO (1) |
0
|
0
|
0
|
Cod 2J3KL (1) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Cod 3M(1) |
0
|
0
|
0
|
(1) Stocks under moratoria due to poor biological
condition.
ANNEX III
TABLE OF QUOTAS PROVIDED TO NORWAY, FAROE
ISLANDS AND ICELAND AS PART OF BALANCED EXCHANGE
Outcome of Commission negotiations in terms of quotas in Community waters provided to Norway and Faroe Islands as part of the balanced exchange
|
NORWAY |
|
|
Species |
2002 Quota
(tonnes)
|
2003 Quota
(tonnes)
|
Mackerel |
47,386
|
40,395
|
Herring |
50,000
|
116,000
|
Sprat |
35,000
|
15,000
|
Cod |
7,880
|
4,641
|
Haddock |
21,725
|
9,580
|
Saithe |
70,200
|
85,800
|
Whiting |
4,100
|
1,600
|
Plaice |
3,890
|
3,969
|
Sandeel, Norway pout, blue whiting
|
40,000
|
40,000
|
Blue whiting |
120,000
|
120,000
|
Blue ling |
500
|
300
|
Ling, tusk |
14,500
|
14,500
|
Dogfish |
200
|
200
|
Porbeagle |
100
|
100
|
Shrimp |
100
|
100
|
Other species |
5,000
|
5,000
|
Horse mackerel |
1,600
|
1,600
|
Combined quota |
600 |
600 |
Greenland halibut
|
1,975
|
1,600
|
|
|
|
FAROE ISLANDS
|
|
|
Ling, tusk, blue ling
|
800
|
800
|
Blue ling |
940
|
940
|
Mackerel |
5,488
|
5,240
|
Herring |
660
|
660
|
Horse mackerel |
7,000
|
7,000
|
Norway pout, sprat, sandeel
|
20,000
|
20,000
|
Blue whiting |
0 |
0 |
Other white fish |
400 |
400 |
Herring |
500
|
500
|
Porbeagle |
125
|
125 |
EC Quotas in Greenland waters provided to Norway, Faroe Islands and Iceland as part of the balanced exchange of quotas
|
|
|
|
|
Species |
Norway
| |
Faroe Islands
| |
Iceland
| |
|
tonnes
| |
tonnes
| |
tonnes
| |
|
2002
|
2003 |
2002
|
2003 |
2002
|
2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Redfish |
1,000
|
1,000 |
500
|
500 |
|
|
Greenland halibut (east) |
400
|
1,055 |
150
|
150 |
|
|
Greenland halibut (west) |
920
|
920 |
150
|
550 |
|
|
Deep-water prawn |
2,500
|
2,500 |
1,150
|
1,150 |
|
|
Atlantic halibut (east) |
200
|
200 |
|
|
|
|
Atlantic halibut (west) |
200
|
200 |
|
|
|
|
Capelin |
6,700
|
6,700 |
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
30,000 |
Roundnose Grenadier (east) |
285
|
285 |
|
|
|
|
Roundnose Grenadier (west) |
715
|
715 |
|
|
|
|
1
OJ No. L.356, 31.12.02, p.12. Back
|
