Fisheries management policies

Resolution 1091 (1996)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

See Doc. 7514, report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, rapporteurs: MM. Arata and Holte. Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 29 May 1996.

Thesaurus

1. The Assembly recalls its Resolution 972 (1991) on the future of ocean fisheries and its Resolution 1012 (1993) on marine mammals.

2. It is concerned that living marine resources, in particular fish stocks, are still over-exploited, that there still exists an over-capacity in fleets, and that there is still little alternative employment for European fishermen, in the fishing industry and coastal communities dependent on fishing for their survival and well-being.

3. The Assembly is of the opinion that prudent management policies for the sustainable use of living marine resources, including marine mammals, should be based on detailed knowledge and understanding of the marine ecosystem concerned and the interrelationship between the different species, as well as on a sound understanding of the interdependence between technical, biological and economical factors.

4. It has taken note of the important work undertaken by the governments of Council of Europe member states, the European Union, OECD and the United Nations in this field, but considers that a greater effort is needed.

5. Against this background, the Assembly calls on the governments, and in particular those of Council of Europe member states, the European Union, OECD and other intergovernmental organisations concerned:

5.1 to increase their efforts for the introduction and improvement of multi-species fisheries management policies based on sustainable exploitation and maintenance of living marine resources in general, giving priority to areas of major importance for Europe, European fishermen and related industries;

5.2 to actively participate in drawing up and/or improving global and regional legal regimes (management policies) for the protection and sustained management of living marine resources, and to make sure that they are monitored in close co-operation with the countries concerned;

5.3 to include in this work the re-establishment of a balance between fishing efforts and fishing yields, the securing of proper enforcement of agreed conservation measures (for example, quotas) appropriate to the waters concerned; to bring all catches under regulation and control, including in international waters, and offset all catches against the determined quotas for each stock - including legislation on discards;

5.4 to continue improving the instruments for the resolution of conflicts, particularly for the different marine areas of vital importance to European fisheries;

5.5 to fully involve fishermen and other groups directly affected by fisheries management policies in the process of their development and implementation, as well as encouraging all parties to choose dialogue and co-operation and actively participate in providing viable solutions to the problems of responsible management;

5.6 to fight against marine pollution and littering, and promote rapid cleaning and reduction of damage following pollution spills as well as complete removal of discarded oil and gas installations and merchant ships not meeting security norms, through international co-operation;

5.7 to renew their fleets in a responsible manner, maintaining a varied and differentiated fishing fleet where coastal fisheries remain the core, with its capacity adjusted to enable a sustainable utilisation of the living marine resources;

5.8 to seriously consider the creation of a European programme to foster research and development for the sustainable use of living marine resources in our waters and to co-ordinate scientific data collection and dissemination.

6. The Assembly also requests all parliaments to ensure that their governments fully respect the decisions of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).