Europaudvalget 2017-18
EUU Alm.del Bilag 460
Offentligt
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March 2018
Joint statement to the DK and NL Ministers and politicians
The Danish Fishermen’s PO, Dutch VisNed and NL-Vissersbond
held on February 27
th
2018, a
very constructive meeting in Taulov, Denmark regarding co-existence at sea, dialogue, co-
operation with implementing the CFP, innovation and Brexit.
Gill Netters and beam trawlers must respect each other
Communication is the key to successful co-existence. A pro-active approach both from the Danish
gillnetters as well as the Dutch beam trawl fisheries is required. To facilitate this, the organisations
will set up a joint platform to inform about fisheries activities. Dutch Fishers are urged to engage
pro-actively with their Danish colleagues, using all communications media. On the initiative of
young fishers, a dedicated WhatsApp group will be set up. In case of incidents or conflict the
organisations should be notified by fishers immediately, enabling them to sort the situation out at
the shortest possible notice.
Compliance
Full compliance of fishers is essential, this includes full AIS coverage, as well as respecting
boundaries of restricted areas. All fishers want level playing field. VisNed has repeated their
declaration of 2017 that it is of utmost importance for Dutch fishers to behave as guests in Danish
waters. Both VisNed and Vissersbond will take sanctions against their members who repeatedly
show irresponsible behavior.
Skagerrak concerns
The Danish Fishermen expressed their concern regarding the fishing effort from the Dutch side in
relation to the fishing opportunities. VisNed and Vissersbond have declared their willingness to
consider swapping part of their TAC for Plaice in the Skagerrak for plaice and other stocks in the
North Sea. A decision on this, needs internal consultation
and alignment within the Dutch PO’s.
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 460: Kopi af henvendelse af 5/3-18 fra Danmarks Fiskeriforening om fælles erklæring fra de danske og hollandske fiskeriorganisationer om dialog og sameksistens fiskerne imellem i Nordsøen og Skagerrak
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CFP implementation and Brexit
Danish Fisherman’s PO, Dutch VisNed and NVB are extremely worried about the next phase of
implementing the Landing Obligation. The metaphor of ‘the Perfect storm’ which will hit the
fishing
industry early 2019 was used again. The parties urged the Scheveningen Group of EU member
states around the North Sea to come up with a comprehensive plan enabling a smooth transition
from landing based management to catch based management in 2019. For plaice, as well as other
flatfish, research shows high survival rates when discarded. Flatfish such as plaice should
therefore be exempted from the landing obligation. Parties agreed to share the outcome of their
respective research projects.
As regard the technical conservation measures, parties expressed the need for innovation and a
evidence based decision making process. Parties expressed their concern that the ongoing
revision of the regulation for technical conservation measures would result in a new regulation less
workable than the existing one, and thus resulting in a worse situation than the existing one.
As regards Brexit, the Danish and the Dutch organisations recognise their joint responsibilities in
the post Brexit era, both regarding the future of the regional advisory councils, as well as creating a
platform for cooperation between EU fishers and the non-EU fishers in the North Sea and other
waters.
For further information:
Danmarks Fiskeri Forening Producent Organisation
VisNed
Nederlandse Vissersbon
Kenn Skau Fischer [email protected]
Pim Visser
[email protected]
Durk van Tuinen
[email protected]
+45 51199537
+31 653146220
+31 642408572
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