Specific action for transfers of vessels to countries hit by the tsunami in 2004

This report is prepared pursuant to Article 18(b)(2) of Regulation 2792/1999/EC as amended by Council Regulation 485/2005/EC with regard to a specific action for transfers of vessels to countries hit by the tsunami in 2004.

This Regulation extends the possibility of withdrawal of fishing vessels from the Community fishing fleet with public aid to vessels which can be transferred to the countries affected by the tsunami for the benefit of the fishing communities concerned.

In order to match the needs identified by the FAO and third countries requests with the offers of vessels in Member States, the Commission sent a questionnaire to the third countries concerned. This questionnaire recalled the limitations specified in the Regulation on the vessels, which could be transferred.

All twenty Member States with a coastline and marine fisheries have informed the Commission that they have not identified any possibility for transfers of vessels under the amended FIFG Regulation.

The reasons invoked by Member States were that there were no appropriate vessels available among the vessels to be decommissioned, that decommissioning was not foreseen or that the incentives provided for the transfer of vessels were not sufficiently attractive.

Furthermore, because there will be no transfers of vessels before the deadline of 30 June 2006 specified in the Regulation, the present report can also be considered as the final report in response to Article 18(b)(2) of the amended FIFG Regulation.