The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Rosa MIGUÉLEZ RAMOS (PES, ES) by 478 votes in favour to 48 votes against with 35 abstentions. The principal amendments were as follows:
- a new recital states that the adoption of the measures needed for the recovery of these stocks makes it necessary to adopt socio-economic measures to mitigate the impact on those affected by measures to restrict fishing capacity. It is therefore necessary to make provision for sufficient appropriations in the Community budget to deal with this situation.
- the Gulf of Cadiz is excluded from the legislation in respect of Southern hake stock and Norway lobster;
- the rebuilding of stocks to safe biological limits is more closely defined: as regards Southern hake, reaching a spawning stock biomass of 35 000 tonnes of hake during two consecutive years, according to the available scientific reports, or increasing the quantities of mature individuals within a period of ten years so that values are reached equal to or higher than 35 000 tonnes; as regards other stock, it means rebuilding the stocks concerned to within safe biological limits within a period of ten years.;
- the fishing mortality rate is set at 0.27;
- Member States should have flexibility in applying the fishing effort reduction;
- the limits beyond which fish must be officially weighed are increased to 300 Kg and/or 150 Kg of Norway lobster;
- Chapter III and parts of Chapter V are deleted as is the annex;
- the Commission is required to submit a report after two years to the European Parliament and the Council setting out the conclusions relating to the application of the recovery plan for the Southern hake and Norway lobster stocks, including socio-economic data linked to the plan.