Decommisioned EU fishing vessels could be on their way to rebuild the tsunami hit fishing fleets of the countries around the Indian Ocean if a proposal from the European Commission is accepted.
As part of a longer term reconstruction and rehabilitation effort the Commission decided on 10 February to propose to the next Council of ministers meeting to amend some rules of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) so as to remove the legal obstacles to the co-financing of a possible transfer of EU fishing vessels to the affected countries.
The Commission wants to ensure that if the Food and Agriculture Organisation advises that such a permanent transfer could contribute to the rebuilding of local fishing fleets, the necessary measures are in place to effect it.
The Commission has proposed to amend the regulation no 2792/1999 of the FIFG about public funding for scrapping to facilitate the transfer of fishing vessels on the EU Register of less than 12 metres in length and between five and 20 years old and not later than 30 June 2006, subject to permanent cessation of fishing activities in EU waters, to fishing communities in the countries affected by the tsunami.
The vessels should be fully seaworthy and well equipped. Additional money may be granted to compensate vessel owners to make them fully seaworthy and equipped, while money is also available to cover the expenses of transport to the tsunami affected areas.
A spokesman for the Indonesian Embassy in London welcomed the move, but stressed that the financial details as to who would carry the cost of transport, making them suitable to local conditions and the training of crews had to be worked out first.
