91999E1561

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1561/99

by Carmen Fraga Estévez (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 September 1999)

Subject: List of vessels that have stopped using drift-nets in compliance with Regulation (EC) 1239/98

Council Regulation (EC) 1239/98(1) of 8 June 1998 amending Regulation (EC) 0894/97 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources, bans the use of drift-nets by

Community vessels as of 1 January 2002. In view of the fact that the use of such gear by Member States' fleets may be phased out gradually, Article 1(4) of the abovementioned regulation provides that Member States shall communicate to the Commission the list of vessels authorised to carry out fishing activities using drift-nets for each target species, as listed in the annex to the Regulation, by 30 April 1998, the information shall be sent not later than 31 July 1998.

1. Can the Commission provide a list of vessels which were authorised to carry out fishing activities using drift-nets in the period 1995 to 1997?

2. Can the Commission provide the lists of vessels authorised to carry out fishing activities using drift-nets in 1998 and 1999 which should already have been submitted by the Member States?

3. Based on a comparison of the lists requested, can the Commission guarantee that the provisions of Article 1(3) of Regulation (EC) 1239/98 are being complied with?

(1) OJ L 171, 17.6.1998. p. 1.

Joint answer to Written Questions P-1537/99 and E-1561/99 given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(8 October 1999)

The Member States concerned have sent the Commission the information referred to in Article 11a(4) of Regulation (EC) 0894/97 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources(1).

According to this information, the number of fishing vessels driftnetting for long finned tuna in the north-east Atlantic in the period from 1995 to 1997 and the number of vessels authorised to do so in 1998 and 1999 were as follows:

>TABLE>

The information provided by the Member States in question shows that the requirement laid down in Article 11a(3) of Regulation (EC) 0894/97 is being complied with. The Commission will verify the data provided by the Member States for the 1995-1997 period as part of the checks conducted under Article 29 of Council Regulation (EEC) 2847/93 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy(2).

(1) OJ L 132, 23.5.1997.

(2) OJ L 261, 20.10.1993.