European Fishing Action Group members have reaffirmed their commitment to “action” rather than deliberation in their fight for a fair deal on fuel.

Michael Claes, General Secretary Fisheries ACV Transcom, chaired the meeting of fishing industry delegates from the UK, Belgium, Holland and France in Luxembourg yesterday.

He briefed on the Commission’s plans to ease the fuel crisis and reported that delegates from other Member States were holding face-to-face meetings with their officials, pushing for early decisions and implementation. On behalf of the action group he welcomed the positive direction implicit in Commissioner Borg’s statement, but felt sure that members would not be satisfied until the first of many aid-package payments are made.

He reported that sporadically, fishers have been taking direct action alongside hauliers and farmers, but in recent times, the emphasis has been on improving relations with consumers. French fishers received great publicity recently in Lille, from an auction of fresh fish to the public, when prices paid per kilo were close to first sale values. This idea resonated amongst delegates and Jim Portus, chairman of the UK Association of Fish Producer Organisations and chief executive of the South Western Fish PO said it was agreed that a European Fresh Fish Day should be launched to draw public attention to the fact that fishing vessel owners have no control whatever over the rocketing cost of fuel that has easily outstripped demand-driven increases in fish prices.

Later in the day, said Mr Portus, the Fisheries Council closed without firm decision or commitment to an aid package. The majority of Member States evidently he said, did not support an increase to “de minimus” payments, but there was general support for the introduction of flexibility in the provisions of the European Fisheries Fund. Any increase in the EFF would have to come from other CFP budget lines and not from new money.

Jim Portus added: “It is clear that movement in the right direction has been made, but I think it will be months before any aid flows to UK vessel owners. When it does, I think it will be under very strict terms in the EFF Operational Programme and only as contribution towards reducing fuel dependency in fisheries that are subjects of Recovery and long-term Management Plans. I am looking forward to seeing the Commission’s detailed proposals that will now be tabled for resolution at the Council on July 22, but I don’t think there is any chance of spending EFF in the UK this side of Christmas."

EFAG will meet again on July 22, when the Council next assembles in Brussels to decide the details and terms of the fiscal action package. EFAG will then announce the favoured day set for the publicity machine to take to the roads across Europe, with all sectors of the supply chain encouraged to unite in the promotion of European Fresh Fish.

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---