Fisheries and aquaculture: Community system 1996-1998 (Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92). Report

PURPOSE : to present the Commission's report on the application of the Community system for fisheries and aquaculture in 1996-1998. CONTENT : this report reviews the measures adopted and presents developments in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), during the years 1996-1998. In the field of conservation and management of resources, major achievements during the 1996-1998 period include, among others, the setting up of a regime of flexibility in the year-to-year management of quotas, the adoption of new TACs in the North Sea for non-regulated species, the adoption of new TACs in international waters managed by regional organisations (redfish, Atlanto-Scandian herring, bluefin tuna, swordfish), the adoption of a new Council Regulation on technical measures, the revamping of STECF (Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries) and the initiation of a dialogue mechanism on management of certain fisheries. There were also areas where the Commission believes that more progress should have been achieved such as the implementation of the fishing effort arragements. Moreover, enforcement of minimum landing sizes for certain species, especially in the Mediterranean, was not effective during the 1996-1998 period. A proposal by the Commission to address this issue in the Mediterranean, was not adopted by the Council. Regarding structural policy and the field of international cooperation, progress has also been achieved. The Community control and enforcement regime was modified and strengthened with the gradual introduction of a vessel monitoring system (VMS). Furthermore, during the period 1999-2001, the Commission will continue to manage and consolidate the existing tools of the CFP. The debate on the CFP after 2002 creates the opportunity to start addressing the future challenges that the CFP will face in the coming years and the strategic priorities that will have to be pursued or reinforced. Among these priorities are the following: better coherence between the various objectives pursued by the CFP; taking account of the economic dimension of fisheries management; better integration of environmental and fisheries policies; improvement in the management tools; a more accountable decision-making process; and maintaining the external dimension of the CFP. Moreover, the Commission believes that the CFP after 2002 should: - ensure the necessary coherence between its various objectives; - have a strong and complete management regime; - be able to integrate and anticipate environmental considerations and concerns; - invole the stakeholders in the fisheries management process and ensure transparency, in a manner compatible with the Treaty requirements; - encourage the development of an efficient and competitive fish industry in Europe. The Commission will prepare its 2002 report with these five suggestions in mind.�