Briefing Note on the Proposed Technical Conservation Regulation
Background
The current rules governing technical conservation rules in Community waters (EC 870/98) have been in need of revision for some considerable time, as cod recovery measures, and something like 12 other amendments require incorporation and consolidation into a single legislative instrument. Discussion on the form and content of a new regulation has been proceeding intermittently over five years, with due recognition for the need to move away from the blanket approach that was the hallmark of 850/98.
All this has been overtaken by events by the Commission’s response to the likely ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and its implications for the management of European fisheries.
In a nutshell, what is an immensely complex and detailed area of policy and was proceeding at snail’s pace, is now being rammed through the Council of Ministers to beat the introduction of co-decision making. We can be assured that this rush to agree an overarching technical conservation regulation, which delegates to the Commission extensive powers to bypass co-decision making, will result in badly thought-through, ill fitting, legislation that will be a nightmare for fishermen and badly serve the cause of conservation.
