Newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressing French fishermen in a major fishing port of Boulogne-sur- Mer on the north coast, saying that he would changed the quotas system once France become the European Union president. France takes on the European Union presidency from July 1 to December 31 this year. Nearly 300 fishermen gathered to know Sarkozy’s word on French fishing industry.
He faced rising complaints from French fishermen about EU quotas and increasing pirce of diesel. Sarkozy said that he would use all the opportunity of being president nation of EU and would start very strong dialogue with the European Commission. He says that there should be a response more supple than quotas, not least payments and fishing zones.
French Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier promised the fishermen to campaign for three-quotas, which would give a little more predictability. France fishing quotas for 2008 was adopted in December 2007 have been widely condemned by the French fishing industry. They demand a 44 percent cut in the national herring and whiting catches and 56 percent for mackerel.
Ever year the fishermen had to wonder what lies in store for them, complained Bruno Margollet, captain of a boat. French fishing vessels are also gone down number-wise by almost 40 percent in the last 15 years.
