Written Question · S1W-33627 · Session 1
Whether it has sought advice from Her Majesty's Government about whether the reallocation of fishing opportunities equivalent to deducted f…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought advice from Her Majesty's Government about whether the reallocation of fishing opportunities equivalent to deducted fishing opportunities, referred to in Article 23(4) of EU Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002, could result in the member state receiving the reallocation gaining fishing opportunities for stocks in International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) areas other than in ICES areas that had been deducted from the member state that had exceeded its fishing opportunities.
The answer
A reallocation of fishing opportunities between member states allowed for by the provisions of Article 23 Paragraph 4 of EU Council Regulation (EC) 2371/2002 can only be decided once the Commission has considered the likely impact of the reallocation on the interests of the member states involved and on the conservation of resources. Further, any decision must be taken by the Commission in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 4 and Article 7 of Decision (EC) 468/1999. This makes it unlikely that such an eventuality could occur except in the most exceptional of circumstances.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S1W-33627 by reference.