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TOP NEWS – FEBRUARY 2014

COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES

Tuesday, 11 February, 9h00-12h30 and 15h00-18h30

Room: Altiero Spinelli (ASP) 1G-3

HIGHLIGHTS

► Presentation of a Commission proposal intended to facilitate the implementation of the landing obligation envisaged under the Common Fisheries Policy reform ► Vote on a Commission proposal for a multiannual recovery plan for Bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean ► Presentation of three briefing notes on "The common fisheries policy - infringement procedures and imposed sanctions throughout the European Union", on "Inland fisheries and the CFP" and on "The use of FADs in tuna fisheries"

CONTENT Words from the Chair page 2 Ongoing dossiers page 3 Studies & briefing notes page 5 Fisheries news page 6 RAC meetings page 11 International meetings & events page 12 Partnership agreements page 14 Committee on Fisheries page 15 Calendar of PECH meetings page 16

AGENDA Next Delegation Visit: Germany 24 - 26 March 2014

FURTHER INFORMATION @ EP Committee on Fisheries link

@ DG MARE (European Commission) link

@ Greek Presidency of the Council link

@ FAO Fishery and Aquaculture link

@ ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Sea link

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WORDS FROM THE CHAIR

Gabriel Mato Adrover Chair of PECH Committee

We have a Fund! It was not an easy task. Everybody put in a lot of effort to achieve this result, but finally last week a political agreement on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund was finally reached between the Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament. I repeat: it was not easy. We all had to strive towards dialogue, giving in on our initial position in order to reach an agreement that, according to me, is a balanced agreement that can be acceptable for everyone. I would like to highlight the role played by the European Commission towards this goal. I have often been critical with respect to a number of actions of the European Commission and Commissioner Damanaki. I have been critical during the negotiating process when, unilaterally and after having reached a political agreement, they decided to breach this very agreement, leading to the Parliament walking out of the trilogues. I acknowledge that the situation improved this year and the Commission played a fundamental role in reaching the final agreement, for which I have the utmost of gratitude. I would also like to highlight the role played by the Lithuanian Presidency. It is true that the Agreement was reached during the Greek Presidency, but we must acknowledge that the Lithuanian Presidency was a major leader in these negotiations and has assisted up to the very last moment. Last but not least, I would like to highlight the role played by the Parliament under the leadership of the Rapporteur Alain Cadec, who proved to be a strenuous negotiator pursuing the mandate received by the Parliament. He also proved to be flexible and giving in whenever it was necessary. My gratitude goes also to the Shadow Rapporteurs and to their teams, and of course to the services of the three Institutions. For sure, not everybody will be pleased with the outcome. But I am persuaded that it is positive for the fishing sector as a whole and takes account of the main demands of this sector that was in need of this reform. The Fund and the Reform of the CFP is now completed. The new Basic Regulation together with the Markets regulation and the Fund are the backbone of the future of the fisheries sector. We now have the infrastructure to have a better, more sustainable fishing policy that takes into account the interests of everybody. But we should not lure ourselves because much still has to be done. Congratulations to everybody! Gabriel MATO ADROVER

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ONGOING DOSSIERS

Reports Rapporteur Type of

procedure PECH

Committee vote

Plenary session

vote

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common fisheries Policy 2013/0007(COD)

Thomas COD 17/12/2013 FEB I 2014

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council repealing Council Regulation (EC° No 827/2004 prohibiting imports of Atlantic bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) originating in Bolivia, Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, Georgia and Sierra Leone and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1036/2001 2013/0097(COD)

Romeva COD 17/12/2013 FEB I 2014

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 302/2009 concerning a multiannual recovery plan for Bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean 2013/0133(COD)

Romeva COD 11/02/2014 APR II 2014

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1198/2006 as regards certain provisions relating to financial management for certain Member States experiencing or threatened with serious difficulties with respect to their financial stability 2013/0200(COD)

Patrão Neves

COD 22/01/2014 FEB II 2014

Common Fisheries Policy (CFP): landing obligation 2013/0436(COD)

Mato COD 10/04/2014

EU/Chile Agreement: conservation of swordfish stocks in the South-Eastern Pacific Ocean 2010/0084(NLE)

Gallagher NLE 30/11/2010 TBC

EC/Micronesia Fisheries Partnership Agreement: fishing opportunities and financial contribution 2010/0290(NLE)

Fraga Estévez

NLE TBC TBC

EC/Guinea-Bissau Fisheries Partnership Agreement. New Protocol 2012/0134(NLE)

Patrão Neves

NLE TBC TBC

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Protocol between EU and the Republic of Madagascar 2012/0238(NLE)

Rivellini

NLE

18/03/2014

APR II 2014

EU/Gabon Fisheries Partnership Agreement. New Protocol 2013/0216(NLE)

Ferreira NLE 22/01/2014 FEB I 2014

Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Seychelles 2013/0375(NLE)

Patrão Neves

NLE 18/03/2014 APR II 2014

Protocol between the EU and the Union of the Comoros setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the two parties currently in force 2013/0388(NLE)

Walesa

NLE

18/03/2014 APR II 2014

Specific actions in the Common Fisheries Policy for developing the role of women 2013/2150(INI)

García-Hierro

INI 22/01/2014 FEB II 2014

The Situation and Future Perspectives of the European Fishing Sector in the Context of the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Thailand 2013/2179(INI)

Mato Adrover

INI 22/01/2014 FEB II 2014

Opinions Rapporteur Type of

procedure PECH

Committee vote

Vote Commission

au Fond

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Animal Health 2013/0136(COD)

Lövin COD 22/01/2014 11/02/2014

(AGRI)

Proposal for a Council Decision authorising Member States to sign and/or ratify, in the interest of the European Union, the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel, 1995, of the International Maritime Organisation 2013/0285(NLE)

Thomas NLE 18/03/2014 TBC

(EMPL)

Discharge 2012: Community fisheries Control Agency 2013/2232(DEC)

Mato DEC 22/01/2014 18/03/2014

(CONT)

Discharge 2012: EU general budget - European Commission 2013/2195(DEC)

Mato DEC 22/01/2014 17/03/2014

(CONT)

*Note on procedures:

COD: Ordinary legislative procedure; CNS: Consultation; INI: Own-Initiative; NLE: Non-legislative (incl. consent to international agreements); DEC: Discharge; BUD: Budget

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FROM THE POLICY DEPARTMENT ‘B’: STUDIES AND BRIEFING NOTES

STUDIES REQUESTED:

Fisheries management and the Arctic in the context of climate change Long-term economic and ecologic impact of larger sustainable aquaculture Characteristics of multi-specific fisheries in the EU

BRIEFING PAPERS REQUESTED

Fisheries in Germany (delegation 2014) IUU fishing and sanctions in the EU Prospects for the development of tourism activities related to fishing Best practice on the use of rights based management to reduce discards in mixed fisheries Deep sea fishing The obligation to land all catches - consequences for the Mediterranean

STUDIES AND NOTES PUBLISHED SINCE BEGINNING OF PARLIAMENTARY TERM:

Inland fisheries and the CFP Infringement procedures and imposed sanctions throughout the EU The use of FADs in tuna fisheries The impact of oil and gas drilling accidents on EU fisheries Summary of the implementation of EU Regulation 1967/2006 Fisheries cooperation with Iceland and Norway Compliance of imports of fisheries and aquaculture products with EU legislation Women in fisheries: a European perspective Global fisheries subsidies Profitability of the EU fishing fleet Fuel subsidies in the EU Data deficient fisheries in EU waters Between fisheries and bird conservation: the cormorant conflict Fisheries in Ireland/ Canary Islands/Denmark (delegations 2013) An adapted CFP reform for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (workshop with 3 notes) Establishment of fish stock recovery areas Application of the system of derogation to the rules of origin of fisheries products in Papua New Guinea and Fuji Excess fishing capacity in the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy The role of China in world fisheries The small-scale coastal fleet in the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy Rights-based fisheries management in Iceland Fisheries in Brittany/Iceland/Veneto (delegations 2012) Does overfishing promote algal blooms? Regime shifts in marine ecosystems (workshop with 4 notes) Perspectives for the new European Fisheries Fund Characteristics of small-scale coastal fisheries in Europe The North Sea brown shrimp fisheries Industrial fisheries in the Baltic Sea Fisheries in Portugal/Poland/Bulgaria/Seychelles (delegations 2011) Fisheries in the Black Sea Interaction of seals and fish stocks (workshop with 4 notes) Natura 2000 and the Common Fisheries Policy Mitigation of incidental catches of cetaceans in EU waters Real-time closures of fisheries Long-term impact of different fishing methods on the ecosystem in the Kattegat and Öresund Tools for fishing fleet management Fisheries in the Basque Country/Sicily/Sweden/Mauritania (delegations 2010) Jurisdictional waters in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea Fisheries management and recovery plans since 2002 Evaluation of the impact of «A strategy for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture» Regulatory and legal constraints for European aquaculture European aquaculture competitiveness: limitations and possible strategies The impact of WTO and other trade negotiations on fisheries

@ You can access the studies and other documents via this link

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FISHERIES NEWS IN BRIEF

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION News - Press service

The Council adopts general fishing opportunities for 2014 (21/01/2014) The Council adopted yesterday by written procedure a regulation providing fishing opportunities in 2014 to EU vessels in Union and certain non-Union waters (18118/13). A political agreement had been reached on this regulation at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 17 December 2013. The regulation establishes the total allowable catches (TACs) and member states' fishing quotas for 2014 for fish stocks which are not subject to international negotiations or agreements and stocks subject to international negotiations or agreements. Each year, on the basis of a Commission proposal, the Council has to take a decision on fishing opportunities for the stocks in the Atlantic, the North Sea and international fisheries in which EU vessels participate. This is the main fishing opportunities regulation in terms of the number of regulated stocks. Along with the regulations fixing the fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea, this text regulates the harvesting of the stocks to levels which must be consistent with the overall objectives of the common fisheries policy (CFP). In October last year an extensive reform of the CFP has been agreed by the Council and the European Parliament (14962/13). The regulations take into account available scientific advice and, in particular, the reports drawn up by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF). This year, the Council and the Commission noted that the fishing opportunities regulations include a number of TACs for stocks for which there is limited information on stock status and which are of low economic importance, or are taken only as by-catches, or which show low levels of quota uptake. In these cases, it was agreed to constrain catches at or below the TAC levels fixed for 2014 for the following four years. If the perception of the status of any of these stocks changes significantly during this

period, both institutions agreed that the TAC levels should be reviewed and revised as appropriate. The fishing opportunities 2014 for the Baltic Sea and for the Black Sea were already adopted respectively on 19 November 2013 (16405/13) and on 10 January 2014. According to Article 43(3) of the Treaty, the Council adopts measures on a proposal from the Commission on the fixing and allocation of fishing opportunities. The EU institutions provisionally agree on the financing of the fisheries reform (28/01/2014) The Council under Hellenic Presidency and the European Parliament reached today a tentative agreement on the main outstanding issues concerning the proposal for a regulation on the European maritime and fisheries fund (EMFF) replacing the existing European fisheries fund (8883/13), at the occasion of the informal trilogue meeting which took place this afternoon. The Permanent Representatives Committee - Coreper - will be fully debriefed on this agreement as soon as possible. Once the full text will be available, it will return to Coreper and Council for approval. Ultimately, the draft text will be presented to the European Parliament for vote in first reading, and then to Council for adoption. The regulation on the EMFF is the last of the three texts of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform "package" which consists also of a new basic Regulation for the Common Fisheries Policy and a new markets regulation. The EU institutions reached an agreement on the last two texts in May last year and the two regulations were finally adopted by the Council in October (regulation 1380/2013 and regulation 1379/2013). In addition, the EMFF is the last of the European Structural Funds still to be adopted

for the financing period 2014 to 2020. The general objective of the EMFF is to support the implementation of the reformed CFP and to further develop the EU's integrated maritime policy (IMP) by financing some of the priorities identified.

In addition to the EMFF, the other European Structural Funds are: the

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Cohesion Fund (CF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

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The next steps after this tentative agreement will consist in further technical meetings to eliminate discrepancies in the positions that do not need political deliberation, including remaining definitions and recitals. The Council, the European Parliament and the Commission agreed on the following points: – The budgetary resources and their allocation within the global cap of EUR 6 396 millions established for the EMFF during the period 2014-2020 (Article 15) was one of the main points of the agreement reached today. In this context, it has been decided: – to establish the allocation for resources under shared management (between the EU and the member states) for the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture at 4 340,8 millions; – to raise the allocation for data collection to EUR 520 millions and the allocation for control and enforcement to EUR 580 millions; – to set an allocation to compensation for outermost regions of EUR 192 millions, an allocation for IMP (EUR 71,1 millions) and an allocation for storage aid in case of crisis (EUR 45 millions); – to agree on the allocation under direct management (by the EU) for an amount of EUR 647 millions. As regards the allocation of budgetary resources, an agreement has been found on the possibility to transfer funds between controls and data collection and vice-versa. – Conditions for engine renewal (Article 39) where EMFF will support for withdrawing, replacing or modernising engines, – for small scale coastal fishing boats up to 12 metres provided that the new engine has the same power or less than the old one; – for vessels up to 18 metres provided that the new engine's power output in the vessel group is at least 20 % less than that of the engine it replaces. – for vessels up to 24 metres provided that the new engine's power output in the vessel group is at least 30 % less than that of the engine it replaces. – Support for temporary cessation of activity (Article 32) during 6 months maximum in the programming period in case of the non-renewal of a fisheries agreement between the EU and a third country. – An action plan for the small coastal fishing fleet will be set up in the member states where the proportion of this fleet is significant (Article 20).

– With regard to admissibility (Article 13), equipment increasing the capability of the vessel to find the fish will not be eligible to the fund. – Conditions allowing compensation in cases of damages due to predators (Article 38).

EUROPEAN COMMISSION News - Press service Commissioner Damanaki to launch new campaign to promote sustainable fishing (24/01/2014) On Monday 27 January, Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, will launch the European Commission's 'Inseparable' campaign to promote sustainable fishing across Europe at an event in Hamburg's International Maritime Museum, co-hosted by the city's mayor, Olaf Scholz. The event builds on the momentum of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy which came into force in January 2014. The overall objective of the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is to make fishing sustainable. This message is taken up as the core principle of the Inseparable campaign which provides practical information to European consumers and other market actors on how they can eat, buy, and sell sustainable fish. Speakers at the event include Ulrike Rodust, who led the European Parliament's negotiations during the CFP reform discussions, and Maria Flachsbarth, Parliamentary Secretary of State, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany. The event will be attended by representatives from industry, non-governmental organisations, consumer groups, academics, chefs and other key stakeholders. The campaign's hub will be online through a dedicated website - and through social media including twitter (@inseparableeu) and Facebook. Speech: Eat, buy and sell sustainable fish! Magazine: Fisheries and aquaculture in Europe no. 63 (27/01/2014) Illegal fish? No, thanks | The future of sustainable fishing | Croatia joins the EU | Antarctic marine ecosystems LINK

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Commissioner Damanaki welcomes EMFF agreement (28/01/2014) The European Commission has today welcomed the political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on the 2014-2020 European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The agreement is a crucial step towards the EMFF coming into force later this year to support the implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Commissioner Maria Damanaki welcomed the agreement: "I am very happy about this outcome, because we can now go full steam ahead and implement the radical changes we have agreed last year to finally put European Fisheries on a sustainable footing once and for all. I now look forward to the finalisation of the adoption process by the European Parliament and the Council so that we can start funding projects on the ground as soon as possible". The agreement between the institutions brings a fresh start: the scrapping of vessels with public money will be phased out, there will be strict conditions for engine replacement and temporary cessation as well as limiting how much money can be used for these measures. The EMFF will support the rebuilding of fish stocks, reducing the impact of fisheries on the marine environment and the progressive elimination of wasteful discarding practices. It will fund the improvement of fisheries data collection to allow decisions to be based on robust evidence, and fisheries control programmes to ensure that the rules on responsible and sustainable fishing are respected and complied with. The EMFF will also support measures in favour of small-scale fisheries, young fishermen and local fisheries. It will boost innovation, help communities to diversify their economies, finance projects that create new jobs and improve quality of life along European coasts and to provide consumers with all the information they need. The fund will also support European Aquaculture so that it can fully develop its potential. For the first time, the fund will also boost Integrated Maritime Policy. Many measures can be funded for example creating a high resolution map of the European seabed and making marine data available to firms and researchers all over Europe.

La République du Sénégal et l'Union européenne unis dans la lutte contre la pêche illégale (31/01/2014) Une délégation de l'Union européenne s'est rendue à Dakar cette semaine afin de réactiver les relations dans le secteur de la pêche entre le Sénégal et l'Union européenne. Celles-ci avaient été interrompues en 2006, suite à l'expiration du dernier protocole d'accord régissant les activités des navires de pêche de l'UE dans les eaux sénégalaises. De ces échanges, qui ont été fructueux, il ressort que la meilleure manière de revitaliser les relations dans le domaine de la pêche est d'en repenser totalement le cadre juridique - l'actuel accord-cadre datant de 1980. La lutte contre la pêche illégale, non réglementée et non déclarée (INN), le support de l'Union Européenne au Sénégal pour améliorer ses capacités de contrôle et surveillance, ainsi que l'appui à la recherche et à la pêche artisanale, pourraient faire partie d'un Accord de Partenariat dans le domaine de la Pêche Durable (APPD). Ceci offrirait également un accès aux eaux sénégalaises pour les espèces thonières ainsi qu'un accès limité aux espèces démersales profondes pour les flottes de l'Union européenne. Les discussions se poursuivront à Bruxelles en mars 2014. Coastal State consultations on mackerel in the North-East Atlantic, London – 28 to 31 January 2014 (31/01/2014) A further round of Coastal State consultations on mackerel sharing in the North-East Atlantic was held in Bergen on 28 to 31 January 2014. Despite all conditions being there for the Parties (European Union, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Norway) to reach a fair and balanced agreement on sharing the mackerel stock, a great opportunity to do so has not yet been seized. The Commission considers that there is a very small percentage share difference in the positions of the Parties, which should be possible to overcome. It is regrettable that Parties were unable to show sufficient flexibility at this stage to allow for the finalisation of these negotiations today. Commissioner Maria Damanaki said “This is a multi-billion euro industry and we need to

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take the right decisions now to have a sustainable stock to fish for the future. A difference of 0.8% of share remains to be found. The Union has been the most flexible Party in these negotiations and has done its utmost to broker a balanced and fair deal, but entrenched positions are blocking a solution. I urge all Coastal States to reflect in the coming days in order to make a final push to resolve this dispute.” The Coastal States are scheduled to meet again in London next week to discuss arrangements for blue whiting and atlanto-scandian herring. SPRFMO strengthens commitment to sustainability with measures on Jack Mackerel and bottom fishing (04/02/2014) At its second annual meeting, held from 27 to 31 January 2014 in Manta, Ecuador, the Commission of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) adopted a series of important conservation and enforcement measures which show its commitment to sustainable fisheries in the region. The European Commission welcomes the clear progress made by SPRFMO in giving itself the tools it needs to become a fully operational management organisation. Following scientific advice, binding measures on Jack Mackerel were adopted to set a global catch quota of 440,000t for the Convention and Exclusive Economic Zone area. This should allow for a further recovery of the stock which has for the first year shown signs of improvement. Although the stock remains overfished, no overfishing occurred in 2013. In addition, SPRFMO adopted a rebuilding plan for the jack mackerel stock in the southeast Pacific, based on an EU proposal. A conservation measure to regulate bottom fishing introducing clear rules for the sustainable management of stocks and protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems was agreed. A conservation measure for minimising by-catch of seabirds by both long liners and trawlers was also adopted. As suggested by the EU, SPRFMO also agreed to improve data reporting requirements on sharks in the future. The adoption of minimum standards on Port State Measures and on the establishment of a Vessel Monitoring Scheme, both proposed

by the EU, will also greatly improve the capacity of the organisation to strengthen its monitoring and compliance capacity. Finally, with the appointment of Johanne Fisher as the new Executive Secretary the sound management of the SPRFMO Secretariat will be ensured in view of her previous experience in the Secretariat at the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation. Background

The South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation is an inter-governmental organisation committed to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources of the South Pacific Ocean. The Organisation consists of a Commission and a number of subsidiary bodies. The members of the Commission are: Australia, Belize, Republic of Chile, People's Republic of China, Cook Islands, Republic of Cuba, European Union, Kingdom of Denmark in respect of the Faroe Islands, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Chinese Taipei and the Republic of Vanuatu. The EU member states with fishing interests in the area are Poland, the Netherlands, Germany and Lithuania. Coastal States Mackerel Management Negotiatons, London 6-7 February (07/02/2014) There have been intensive discussions and most issues have been resolved. The negotiations have been adjourned and it is expected that they will resume shortly. Prospective evaluation of the opportunity to conclude a new fisheries partnership agreement and protocol with Senegal Study published 07/02/2014 Overview of the tuna fisheries in the East Atlantic Study published 07/02/2014

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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT (FISHERIES) News - Press service Financing the new fisheries policy: political agreement on Fisheries Fund (29/01/2014) Draft rules for allocating European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) aid to help fishermen comply with the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) requirements were informally agreed on Tuesday, after several three-way meetings between Parliament, the Council and the Commission. The rules should now be approved at the first reading, before the end of this Parliament. "This was the final chapter of the negotiations. With the political agreement reached tonight we will have an ambitious European Maritime and Fisheries Fund for 2014-2020. This is a real victory for the European Parliament, which was heeded by the Council and the Commission, said rapporteur Alain Cadec (EPP, FR). "The tug of war between the institutions in December allowed Parliament to return to the negotiating table with a strong position and reach a very satisfactory agreement regarding in particular the financial breakdown and engine renewal", he added. More money for data collection for better fisheries management

Parliament’s negotiators improved the Commission proposal, especially on collecting and managing fisheries data, which are needed for example, to set the Maximum Sustainable Yield required by the new CFP rules (MSY, meaning the largest catch that can be safely taken year after year and which maintains the fish population size at maximum productivity). MEPs ensured that €520 million - a considerable increase over the original Commission proposal - of the EMFF budget will be earmarked for data collection. An action plan for small-scale coastal fishing

Another negotiating success for Parliament was to require each member state with a significant small-scale coastal fishing fleet to table an action plan setting out a strategy for the development, competitiveness and sustainability of these fisheries, which play a key role in ensuring the vitality of coastal areas.

Support for young fishermen

MEPs also amended the EMFF proposal to allow fishermen under 40 years old to be granted up to €75,000 in individual start-up support if they buy a small-scale and coastal fishing vessel between 5 and 30 years old and have five years' professional experience in the sector. Engine renewal

Parliament also added EMFF support for withdrawing, replacing or modernising engines for vessels up to 24 metres long, including an requirement for those of 12-24 metres that the new engine's power output be less than that of the engine it replaces. However, an amendment to reintroduce fleet renewal subsidies was rejected. Towards sustainable fisheries in the EU

To give effect to Parliament's agreement with the Council on the forthcoming CFP, which obliges member states to set sustainable fishing quotas from 2015 and introduces a ban on discarding unwanted fish, the EMFF will help fishermen to comply with the new rules by supporting investments in more selective fishing gear or equipment to facilitate handling, landing and storage of unwanted catches. EMFF aid will also be used to improve safety and working conditions, data collection and port infrastructure. Next steps

After a plenary vote in October to open negotiations with the Council, the agreement will now be put to a vote in the Fisheries Committee before seeking final approval by the full House in April. Procedure: Co-decision (Ordinary Legislative Procedure), 1st reading agreement

lowing scientific advice, binding measures on Jack Mackerel were adopted to set a global catch quota of 440,000t for the Convention and Exclusive Economic Zone area. This should allow for a further recovery of the stock which has for the first year shown signs of improvement. Although the stock remains overfished, no overfishing occurred in 2013. In addition,

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MEETINGS OF THE REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS

RAC DATE PLACE TYPE Main issues

NSRAC 12/02/2014 Ijmuiden Focus Group Marine Strategy Framework Directive

NSRAC 25/02/2014 London ExCom NSRAC Executive committee

BSRAC 25-26/02/2014 Copenhagen ExCOM, WG I & II

MEDRAC 4-6/03/2014 Barcelona WG WG I and III

ALL RACs 19/03/2014 Brussels Inter-RAC

LDRAC 20-21/03/2014 Brussels WG WG 1, 4 and 5

NWWRAC 25-26/03/2014 Dublin Focus/WG, ExCom CFP reform, multiannual management plans

SWWRAC 27/03/2014 Dublin WG VIII & IX

PELRAC 10/04/2014 The Hague WG Joint WG on discards

Abbreviations:

- NWW RAC: North Western Waters Regional Advisory Council (link)

- PEL RAC: Pelagic Regional Advisory Council (link)

- NS RAC: North Sea Regional Advisory Council (link)

- MED RAC: Regional Advisory Council for the Mediterranean (link)

- SWW RAC: South Western Waters Regional Advisory Council (link)

- LD RAC: Long Distance Fleet Regional Advisory Council (link)

- BS RAC: Baltic Sea Regional Advisory Council (link)

- MIRAC: ICES/RAC meeting

- GA: General Assembly, ExCom: Executive Committee, WG: Working Group, FG: Focus ·Group

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MAIN INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS

NORWAY/COASTAL STATES/NEAFC/RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Date Organisation Type of meeting

Venue

February 2014

11-15 EU/Norway – Annual Consultations Bilateral Norway, Bergen

REGIONAL FISHERIES ORGANISATIONS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

Date Organisation Type of meeting Venue

February 2014

17 - 21 GFCM Working Group on the amendment of the GFCM Agreement

TBD

24 - 28 FAO COFI - Sub-Committee on Fish Trade - 14th

Session Norway, Bergen

4 days (TBC) IATTC IATTC-Working Group Capacity Cartagena, Columbia

24 - 25 GFCM Workshop to test the feasibility of implementing multiannual management plans in the Black Sea

Trabzon, Turkey

26 - 28 GFCM 3rd

meeting of the Working Group on the Black Sea

Trabzon, Turkey

March 2014

03 - 07 ICCAT PA 2/Compliance Committee/PWG Spain, Barcelona

31 - 04 UN 1st Meeting BBNJ &Informal Consultation of

States Parties to UNFSA (CONUN) USA, New York

17 - 21 GFCM 16th session of the Scientific Advisory

Committee (TBD)

(TBC) IOTC Technical Committee on Allocation Criteria Seychelles

24 - 27 CAMFA Meeting of the Conference of African ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture

South Africa, Durban

April 2014

(TBC) OECD 113th Session COFI Paris, France

7 - 9 GFCM GFCM reform Greece

May 2014

05 - 07 NAFO STACTIC intersession Denmark, Copenhagen

(TBD) IOTC 12th Session of the Compliance Committee &

18th Session of the Commission

Sri Lanka

(TBD) SIOFA 2nd

Session of the Commission (TBD)

19 - 24 GFCM 38th annual session of the GFCM Italy, Rome

27 - 30 UN UN-ICP Meeting USA, New York

22 - 28 ICCAT IMM working group Spain, Madrid

June 2014

9 - 13 FAO COFI - Committee on Fisheries - 31st Session Italy, Rome

(TBC) IATTC 85th Annual Meeting Peru

09 - 13 UN SPLOS Meeting USA, New York

16 - 20 UN 2nd

BBNJ Meeting USA, New York

1st half NASCO Annual Meeting France, St Malo

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July 2014

08 - 09 NAFO By-catch/Discards/Selectivity WG Canada, Halifax

07 - 11 CITES CITES-65th meeting of the CITES Standing

Committee, CICG Switzerland,Geneva

(TBD) ISBA ISBA 19th Meeting (TBD)

September 2014

22 - 26 NAFO 35th Annual Meeting Spain, Santiago de

Compostella

October 2014

(TBC) United Nations General Assembly

Oceans and Law of the Sea Resolution 1st round

USA, New York

9 – 16 CCSBT Annual Meeting New Zealand, Auckland

(TBC) AIDCP Annual Meeting USA, La Jolla

(TBC) OECD 114th OECD COFI France, Paris

20-31 CCAMLR XXXIII Annual Meeting Australia, Hobart

November 2014

(TBC) United Nations General Assembly

UN-Sustainable Fisheries Resolution USA, New York

(TBC) United Nations General Assembly

UN-Oceans and Law of the Sea Resolution second resolution

USA, New York

17 - 26 ICCAT Annual Meeting Italy (TBC)

December 2014

(TBC) SEAFO Annual Meeting (TBD)

(TBC) WCPFC Annual Meeting (TBD)

THE TRAWLER 14 FEBRUARY 2014

FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS

COUNTRY

EXPIRATION DATE OF CURRENT

PROTOCOL

JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING NEGOTIATION

Date Location Estimated date and place for starting

negotiation

MIX

ED

AG

RE

EM

EN

TS

Morocco No protocol in force

Mauritania 15 December 2014 19-20 Feb 2013 17-18 Sept 2013

Paris Nouakchott

Mar/Apr 2014

Senegal No protocol in force

28-30 Jan 2014, Dakar (TBC)

Guinea Bissau

No protocol in force

10 Feb 2012

Greenland 31 December 2015 28-29 Nov 2013 Brussels 3rd

quarter 2014

WE

ST

AF

RIC

A

Cape-Verde 31 August 2014 13-14 March 2013 Next: Feb 2014

Cape Verde Brussels

1st round: 9-11 Dec

2013, Praia, CV 2

nd round: Feb 2014,

Brussels

Ivory Coast 30 June 2013 26-27 Sept 2013 Brussels

Gabon 23 July2016 28-29 Oct 2013 Brussels

São Tomé and Principe

12 May 2014 14 Oct 2013 Lisbon 1st round:15-17 Oct.,

Lisbon 2

nd round:16-18 Dec

2013, Brussels

IND

IAN

OC

EA

N

Comoros 31 December 2013 2-3 April 2013 Brussels

Madagascar 31 December 2014 2-3 Dec 2013 Brussels 2nd

quarter 2014

Mauritius No protocol in force

(TBD) (TBD)

Mozambique 31 January 2015 25 -27 Nov 2013 Brussels 2nd

quarter 2014

Seychelles 17 January 2014 4-5 March 2013 Seychelles

Kenya No Agreement/ Protocol

3rd

quarter 2014

Tanzania No Agreement/ Protocol

3rd

quarter 2014

PA

CIF

IC

Kiribati 15 September 2015

3rd

quarter 2014 Brussels 1st quarter 2015

Solomon Islands

No protocol in force

Micronesia No protocol in force

Cook Islands No Agreement/ Protocol in place yet

23 July 2013, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

THE TRAWLER 15 FEBRUARY 2014

COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES

BUREAU

Chair Mr Gabriel MATO ADROVER

1st Vice-Chair Mr Struan STEVENSON 3rd Vice-Chair Mr Guido MILANA

2nd Vice-Chair Mr Alain CADEC 4th Vice-Chair Mr Nils TORVALDS

COORDINATORS

EPP Mr Antonello ANTINORO ECR Mr Marek Józef GRÓBARCZYK

S&D Mrs Ulrike RODUST GUE/NGL Mr João FERREIRA

ALDE Mr Pat the Cope GALLAGHER EFD Mr John Stuart AGNEW

Greens/EFA Mrs Isabella LÖVIN

COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES FULL MEMBERS

COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS

AGNEW John Stuart UK EFD BESSET Jean-Paul FR Greens/EFA

ANTINORO Antonello IT EPP BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun ES ALDE

ARSENIS Kriton EL S&D BONSIGNORE Vito IT EPP

CADEC Alain FR EPP CAPOULAS SANTOS Luis Manuel PT S&D

DAVIES Chris UK ALDE CHRISTENSEN Ole DK S&D

FERREIRA João PT GUE/NGL COTTIGNY Jean-Louis FR S&D

FRAGA ESTEVEZ Carmen ES EPP DODDS Diane UK NI

GALLAGHER Pat the Cope IE ALDE GIRLING Julie UK ECR

GARCÍA-HIERRO CARABALLO Dolores ES S&D HARMS Rebecca DE Greens/EFA

GRÓBARCZYK Marek Józef PL ECR HIGGINS Jim IE EPP

HUDGHTON Ian UK Greens/EFA ITURGAIZ ANGULO Carlos José ES EPP

IOTOVA Iliana Malinova BG S&D LE HYARIC Patrick FR GUE/NGL

KUHN Werner DE EPP LYON George UK ALDE

LE PEN Jean-Marie FR NI MATERA Barbara IT EPP

LÖVIN Isabella SE Greens/EFA MEISSNER Gesine DE ALDE

MATO ADROVER Gabriel ES EPP IRAZABALBEITIA FERNANDEZ Iñaki ES Greens/EFA

MILANA Guido IT S&D NICULESCU Rareş-Lucian RO EPP

PATRAO NEVES Maria do Céu PT EPP NILSSON Jens SE S&D

RIVELLINI Crescenzio IT EPP NITRAS Slawomir PL EPP

RODUST Ulrike DE S&D PIRILLO Mario IT S&D

ROMEVA I RUEDA Raül ES Greens/EFA ROSBACH Anna DK ECR

STEVENSON Struan UK ECR SALAVRAKOS Nikolaos EL EFD

THOMAS Isabelle FR S&D SANCHEZ PRESEDO Antolín ES S&D

TORVALDS Nils FI ALDE TSOUKALAS Ioannis EL EPP

WALESA Jaroslaw Leszek PL EPP

COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES SECRETARIAT

Phone number: +32(0)2 28 34469 (BXL) +33(0)3 88 1 72026 (STR)

E-mail address: pech-secretariat@europarl.europa.eu

Fax number: +32(0)2 28 44909 (BXL) +33(0)3 88 1 76769 (STR)

THE TRAWLER 16 FEBRUARY 2014

NEXT FISHERIES COMMITTEE MEETINGS

2014

Monday, 17 March, 15h00-18h30 Tuesday, 18 March, 9h00-12h30 Tuesday, 18 March, 15h00-18h30 Monday, 7 April, 15h00-18h30 Thursday, 10 April, 9h00-12h30 Thursday, 10 April, 15h00-18h30 May - Elections June - Groups Tuesday, 22 July, 9h00-12h30 Wednesday, 3 September, 15h00-18h30 Thursday, 4 September, 9h00-12h30 Monday, 22 September, 15h00-18h30 Tuesday, 23 September, 9h00-12h30 Thursday, 16 October, 9h00-12h30 Wednesday, 5 November, 15h00-18h30 Thursday, 6 November, 9h00-12h30 Thursday, 6 November, 15h00-18h30 Wednesday, 3 December, 15h00-18h30 Thursday, 4 December; 9h00-12h30 Thursday, 4 December; 15h00-18h30