B4-0610, 0612, 0613, 0614 and 0615/95

Resolution on the conservation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean

The European Parliament,

-having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1626/94, laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean,

A.whereas implementation of the Regulation is causing serious problems to Italian fishermen,

B.whereas there are many factors contributing to the decline of fish stocks, including overfishing and environmental pollution,

C.whereas specifically, with regard to minimum fish and net mesh size, the Regulation fails to allow for the biological diversity of the Mediterranean, the various sensitive fishing areas or the traditional methods which govern fishing in the Adriatic, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian Seas,

D.whereas under the new rules, because of trawling, fishing activity is on a similar scale to the past; whereas high proportions of catches have to be thrown back into the sea when the fish are already dead, resulting in serious environmental and health hazards,

1.Reaffirms the need to find solutions which do not harm the conservation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean;

2.Calls on the Commission and Council, in the light of the on-the-spot technical and scientific investigation conducted by the Commission in February 1995, to adjust the Regulation by incorporating amendments and further appropriate transitional measures;

3.Points out that such measures are essential in order to ensure that the Italian regions concerned are in a position to implement the Regulation correctly;

4.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.