The Committee on Fisheries adopted the report by João FERREIRA (GUE/NGL, PT) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending certain Regulations in the field of fisheries and animal health by reason of the change of status of Mayotte with regard to the Union.
The committee recommended that Parliaments position adopted in first reading following the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission proposal as follows:
Legal basis: Members proposed to add Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as a legal basis, since Mayotte is an outermost region.
Conservation of fisheries resources: as regards Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organism, the report proposed:
· to prohibit the use of purse-seines on tuna and tuna-like schools of fish inside the area within 24 nautical miles of the coasts of the island of Mayotte, measured from the baselines from which territorial waters are measured;
· to prohibit fishing under drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) and under large marine mammals and whale sharks (natural FADs) shall be prohibited in the whole of the Mayotte Marine Natural Park;
The Marine Natural Park of Mayotte is defined as the entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Mayotte (68 381 km2). The land area of the park shall extend to the upper foreshore, which marks the boundary of the maritime public domain.
Consumer information: with regard to the requirements concerning traceability and consumer information for products offered for retail sale, the report proposed to extend to 31 December 2021 (instead of 16 December 2016) the deadline for implementing European legislation to give Mayotte time to comply.
Register of fishing vessels: France shall be exempted until 31 December 2021 from the obligation to include in its register of Union fishing vessels those vessels that are less than 10 meters in overall length and operate from Mayotte. The Commission had proposed that France be exempted until 31 December 2016 for all vessels that are less than 9 meters in overall length.
Conservation measures: in the waters up to 100 nautical miles from the baselines of Mayotte and in the whole of the Mayotte Marine Natural Park, France may adopt the conservation measures considered necessary for the preservation of the natural resources protected by the legislation establishing that park.
Health rules : Members felt it necessary to see that Mayotte was given enough time to apply the health rules governing animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption. The rules will apply from 1 January 2021 (rather than 1 January 2019.)
Control requirements : Members introduced a derogation from Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 to give Mayotte time to comply with the control requirements provided for in this Regulation. By 1 January 2015, France shall establish a national scheme of control applicable to fishing vessels which are less than 10 meters in overall length and operate from Mayotte.
By 30 September 2015 France shall present to the Commission an action plan setting out the measures to be taken in order to ensure the full implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 from 1 January 2018 concerning fishing vessels which are less than 10 meters in overall length and operate from the outermost region of Mayotte.