May 28, 2002. Copyright 2002. Graphic News. All rights reserved.

Fischler prepares to defend EuropeÕs big blue

LONDON, May 28, Graphic News: European fisheries commissioner Franz Fischler gestures as he repeats his mantra: there are too many fishermen chasing too few fish.

Fischler is expected to unveil radical reforms on Tuesday (May 28) to the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) including an end to public subsidies to build new boats, over-fishing and greater protection of fishing stocks. His plan is designed to prevent the industry from being destroyed within as little as five years.

The CFP delivers subsidies of 1 billion euros (£613 million) annually to an industry whose total production is worth around 9 billion euros (£5.5 billion). But it is notable above all for its abject failure to achieve its goals: ensuring a fair standard of living for the fishing community, stabilising markets, preserving supplies and keeping down prices.

The Commission believes that the EU fleet is as much as 40 percent too big for the resources in EU waters. Last DecemberÕs decision by fisheries ministers to slash quotas for this year by as much as 55 percent followed evidence that cod and hake are close to extinction and as many as 12 species face imminent collapse.

ÒEither we do something now or in five years the fishing industry will be on its knees because there are no more fish,Ó says Gregor Kreuzhuber, FischlerÕs spokesman.

Critics of the regime say the ills of the CFP reach far beyond the EUÕs waters. Much of the one billion in tax-euros spent in subsidies is used to buy rights for EU fishermen -- mainly from Spain -- to fish in waters off the African coast. Environmentalists believe that only major reform can prevent Europe suffering the sort of disaster that forced Canada to close completely the cod fisheries off Newfoundland 10 years ago.

FischlerÕs preferred plans are radical: the capacity of the fleet must be cut drastically; money should be redirected from building new boats towards paying up to 28,000 people to leave the fishing industry permanently; and surveillance should be stepped up, perhaps through an EU inspection body and a uniform system of sanctions.

The Commission also wants quotas set on a long-term basis, ending the need for the annual pre-Christmas haggling which has seen ministers as often as not ignore scientific warnings of imminent disaster.

But if the plans seem eminently sensible on paper, the opponents of change are already preparing for battle. December saw the emergence of ÒLes Amis de la PecheÓ  -- Friends of Fishing -- a powerful group including France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece, who reject FischlerÕs belief in reform.

Fischler will need all his renowned negotiating skills if he is to win the debate within the short timetable he has set himself. The Commission wants a new regime up and running by the start of next year.

ÒIf the Commission is unable to rise to the challenge and get its policy right, then it will be forced to hand back fisheries policy to the member states,Ó said Northern Ireland MEP Jim Nicholson. ÒThe bottom line here is that we have an opportunity to put things right,Ó he said, but on past experience, this will be a tall order.

/ENDS

Source: European Report 2002