Conservation of resources: specific access requirements to fishing for deep-sea stocks

The Council reached a majority political agreement on the "TACs (total allowable catch) and quotas" proposal and a general approach on the "licences" proposal, on the basis of a compromise presented by the presidency with which the Commission associated itself. The two proposals will be adopted simultaneously at a forthcoming meeting of the Council, following adoption and examination of the European Parliament's Opinion on the "licences" proposal. A joint statement by the Council and the Commission on the "TAC and quotas" proposal and two statements by the Commission on the licences proposal, formed part of the compromise. The compromise contains the following elements: - the "TACs and quotas" are established for 2003 and 2004 (with an annual revision clause) on the basis of revised statistical data, but not for 2002. Three species are deleted from the lists drawn up for the TACs (deep-sea sharks, alfonsino and forkbeards); the compromise therefore provides for 8 species with TACs instead of the 11 initially stipulated. On the other hand,46 species are included in the "licences" proposal instead of 21; - the TACs are set in Community waters, and in international waters to the extent that scientific opinions indicate the need to reduce catches. The joint statement by the Council and the Commission provides that the Commission will ask for a scientific opinion from the ICES in 2003 at the latest; - the fishing effort limitation scheme laid down in the "licences" proposal will in future exclude ling, tusk and red sea bream; however, these species are include will be covered either by a system if "licences" (fishing effort limitation) or by the "TACs and quotas" or by both; - a general quota ("pool") for by-catches is established to replaced the 10 tonne quotas for each country with fishing activities in a particular zone; the quotas for black scabberdfish, roundnose grenadier, red sea bream, orange roughly and ling have increased in certain fishing zones; - fishing effort is regulated by Regulation 2027/95; - a alternative to satellite-based vessel system (VMS) is introduced on the "licences" compromise; in the case of a technical malfunction in the system, a report indicating the location of the vessel is to be transmitted every two hours to the coastal Member States; - a general review clause is laid down in the "licences" compromise, allowing the Commission to present a report on management of deep sea species to the Council and the European Parliament before 30 June 2005; in the meantime, scientific information will be collected so as to determine the future development of the TACs, including for artisanal fishing; - both proposals will be adopted and implemented simultaneously, taking effect from 1 January 2003.�