Borg in dialogue with Med. fishermen

Following a four-day visit to Spain, European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg has urged fishermen to contribute to the debate on fine-tuning the proposed fisheries measures for the Mediterranean.

The Commission is studying the possibility of introducing a fisheries policy for the Mediterranean and is in dialogue with the fishermen's associations in the area.

Speaking to The Times, Dr Borg's spokesman Mirielle Thom said that during his visit Dr Borg reaffirmed his belief in the need to safeguard the future of fisheries through dialogue with stakeholders.

She said his meetings with representatives of the national and regional authorities and those of the fishing and aquaculture sector as well as shellfish gatherers in Madrid, Andalucia and Galicia had allowed the commissioner to hear at first hand the concerns of those in the fisheries sector.

During his visit, Dr Borg referred to questions on the proposed European Fisheries Fund for 2007-2013. He said aid would be available for vessel modernisation to upgrade safety, hygiene and living conditions on board but ruled out a return to helping in the building of new vessels which contributed to fleet overcapacity and over fishing.

Ms Thom told The Times Dr Borg reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to renewing existing fisheries agreements and to seeking to conclude new ones with countries which saw mutual benefit in doing so.

He referred particularly to Morocco and said the Commission would shortly have contacts with this country to assess the possibility of talks with a view of concluding an agreement in fisheries.