IP/95/160

Brussels, 21 February 1995

SPOKESMAN'S SERVICE

The Commission has adopted for a decision by the Council concerning an objection to the allocation of the TAC (Total Admissible Catch) of Greenland halibut in the NAFO (Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization) area for 1995. This means that the Community will not be bound by the NAFO decision that allocated a quota of 3,400 tonnes of Greenland halibut for 1995.

Mrs Emma BONINO, Commissioner for Fisheries, welcomes the decision and declares "the unfairness of the quota allocated to the Community left no choice but the object to the NAFO decision, in order to safeguard the historical fishing rights of Community fishermen in the Northwest Atlantic".

The stock of Greenland halibut constitutes the main target species for the more than 40 Community vessels fishing in the NAFO Regulatory Area. The species has been unregulated until 1994. Under these circumstances Community fleets have been fishing, in the deep waters outside the Canadian 200 miles, some 45,000 tonnes of this species over the last three years, around 75% of the total catch of this species.

In september 1994, NAFO established for the first time a conservationmeasure for this species, a TAC was set a level (27,000 tonnes) significantly lower than the level of catches in previous years. The Community, in spite of all the problems generated by this conservation measure, decided to implement it for 1995.

On January 30 - February 1, NAFO held a special meeting to allocate the TAC of 27,000 tonnes of Greenland halibut for 1995 among NAFO Contracting Parties. At this meeting, by avery narrow voting margin, an allocation key was adopted which clerly discriminates against the Community fleets have been fishing 75% of the stock. On the other hand, other Contracting Parties such as Canada, wich ahve fished less than 6,000 t over the last years, obtain a quota of 16,300 t (60.37% of the TAC). Russia, wich has not fished this species at all over the last years, obtains a quota similar to that of the Community.

The allocation key adopted does not in any way reflected current catch trends for this stocks, it includes a preference to the Coastal State (Canada) which is not justified under customary international law, and it means a breach of the consensus-seeking tradition in NAFO.

For these reasons, in order to preserve the legitimate rights of the Community fishermen in the NorthWest Atlantic, and in full compliance with the provisions of the NAFO Convention, the Commission had decided to present an objection to this allocation key and subsequently to propose the adoption of an autonomous quota which would fully respect the conservation measure already adopted: the TAC of 27,000 tonnes.

It is to be stressed that the Commission is not alling into question the conservation measure already adopted (the TAC of 27,000 tonnes) but only its allocation among NAFO Contracting Parties. The Commiccion therefore reiterates its full commitment to a responsible policy of conservation of fish stocks in the framework of the relevant multilateral organizations such as NAFO.

The adopted proposal will be transmitted to the Council for approval within the 60-day objection period established by the NAFO Convention.