Danes Again Urged To Reopen Deepwater Deal – Fishupdate.com
Danes Again Urged To Reopen Deepwater Deal Fishing Monthly Published: 09 September, 2002
SCOTTISH Nationalist Euro MP Ian Hudghton today again urged the Danish EU presidency to reopen the contentious deep-water deal.
A guest speaker at the World Wildlife Fund Fisheries Summit in Nyborg, Denmark, the MEP told Fishupdate.com that he had renewed his appeal to the Danish Presidency, to reopen negotiations on the deal, which, he said, had been rushed through in the dying days of Spains EU Presidency.
He wanted to use his Danish visit to urge the Council of Ministers, who are meeting informally in Nyborg, to reopen discussions and honour Denmarks pledge to open and transparent decision-making.
And he added:The so-called compromise deal on deep sea fisheries was reached after immense pressure from the Spanish Presidency and was founded on scant scientific evidence. What really gets my back up is that the deal was brokered without any real consultation and negotiation with interested parties, including zero involvement of the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission.
It simply beggars belief that the door was kept firmly closed on representatives of the fishing industries of those member states which have the greatest interest in deep sea fishing.So much for the EUs commitment to involve stakeholders more!
The WWF summit by contrast exemplifies how different interest groups can come together to share views.
The Danish Presidency had the chance to follow this lead and reopen the debate on deep sea fisheries so that properly thought through regulations can be reached.
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