PURPOSE : to introduce a new revised effort limitation scheme in Western Waters and to amend Regulation 2847/93/EC.
LEGISLATIVE ACT : Council Regulation 1954/2003/EC on the management of the fishing effort relating to certain Community fishing areas and resources and modifying Regulation 2847/93/EC and repealing Regulations 685/95/EC and 2027/95/EC.
CONTENT : the Council adopted by qualified majority, with Ireland and Spain voting against and Belgium abstaining, this Regulation on the management of the fishing effort relating to certain Community fishing areas and resources and modifying Regulation 2847/93/EC ("Western Waters").
This Regulation shall introduce a revised effort limitation scheme in Western Waters following the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the full integration of Spain and Portugal into the CFP.
The main elements of the political agreement are as follows:
- establishment of a biologically sensitive area to replace the current "Irish Box" (which stretches 50 miles around the Irish coast);
- establishment of a reference period (1998-2002) for drawing up the list of vessels authorised to
fish;
- establishment of a 100-mile protection zone for the outermost regions;
- establishment of a kilowatt-day system to calculate the fleet's fishing effort;
- establishment of a minimum size for vessels covered by the Regulation depending on the area (10 metres for biologically sensitive areas, 15 metres for other areas).
ENTRY INTO FORCE : 14/11/2003.�