Fishing limits in EU may be extended

European state fishing limits could be extended from 12 to 24 miles, following a vote in favour of the move by the European Parliament.

The agreement represented a major victory for Europe's peripheral regions, the Connacht-Ulster MEP, Mr Joe McCartin, said. He predicted that the extension could be supported at EU Council of Ministers level when the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is reviewed in 2002.

The size of the vote in favour indicated just how feasible the council support could be, Mr McCartin said yesterday.

Some 362 votes were cast in support, and 96 against, during a session discussing a report on the CFP's regionalisation last week. The amendment to the report was sponsored by the EPP group, to which Fine Gael MEPs belong.

"The exclusive inshore zone is reserved for local fishermen to exploit, and it was extended from six to 12 miles after we joined the EU," Mr McCartin said. "The 12-mile limit is due to be scrapped under the review of the CFP in 2002. But stocks are under pressure, so if it is extended now it will give local boats a better chance to make a living and will benefit the local economy substantially."

The report on the CFP's regionalisation, tabled by Fianna Fail MEP Mr Pat "The Cope" Gallagher on behalf of the fisheries committee, proposes the establishment of regional management units based on existing international definitions of fishing areas. These could be set up under existing legislation, without the requirement of a full-scale EU treaty-changing intergovernmental conference, he said last week.

To work effectively, however, such units would need to include not only representatives of affected coastal states, but also representatives of fishermen, he said. "Renationalisation" of fishing areas was not an option, but there was still an overriding obligation on Community institutions to safeguard the future of fisheries-dependent communities.