New EU fishing agency proposed

A new European agency to monitor and control fishing fleets was proposed by the European Commission today.

Its job would be to improve coordination of national fisheries inspections and surveillance as part of the continuing campaign to halt the crisis over dwindling stocks.

More detailed plans for the creation of the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA) will be presented by the end of the year the Commission said, insisting that the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy must be applied and enforced.

“Patchy enforcement and poor compliance have for too long undermined the effectiveness of our policy.” said fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler.

There was too much disparity in the national control methods, and a new EU-wide agency would establish the level playing field fishermen have been demanding, he said.

The Agency would set standards for uniform monitoring methods for fish catches and be responsible for inspecting fishing licences.

It would also monitor fishing activity in EU waters and coordinate inspections of landings.

The move follows the Commission’s announcement last month that Europe’s fishermen are to be given a key role in assessing the state of dwindling stocks, particularly in the North Sea, Irish Sea and off the West coast of Scotland, where cod is said to be in danger of extinction.

The hope is that the industry will be more accepting of the need for belt-tightening in future if fishermen themselves have played a key part in endorsing the statistics on which fish catch limits are based.

The new Agency would also improve confidence in the conservation campaign, answering fishermen’s complaints that some fleets are taking advantage of weak national controls while others are sticking to the rules.

“A feasibility study, to be carried out in cooperation with the member states, will examine all aspects pertaining to the creation of the CFCA, including its tasks, its relation with the member states and the Commission, said Mr Fischler.

“The Agency is expected to make for a better cost-effectiveness of inspection and enforcement activities.”