Monica Barnes
Question:11 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for the Marine if agreement has been reached in negotiations between EC and EFTA countries regarding access of their vessels to EC waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Access to EC Waters.
Under existing bilateral arrangements — I stress bilateral — between the EC and Norway and other EFTA countries there are long-standing arrangements providing for recriprocal access in each others waters for a number of species. As part of the European Economic Area Agreement between the Community and EFTA provision is made for further access by the EC to various stocks in Norwegian waters. In particular, EFTA is to provide the EC with an additional quota of cod in Norwegian waters, increasing progressively from 6,000 tonnes in 1987 to 11,000 tonnes in 1997. The internal distribution of these resources will be on the basis of cohesion criteria and Ireland will benefit therefrom. The precise distribution remains to be agreed.
The EEA Agreement does not provide directly for any increased access for vessels from EFTA countries to Community waters. However, it is envisaged that the annual bilateral agreement with Norway — which comes up in this month each year — will include some provision for increased access by Norway to Community waters but this access will not cut across or reduce the real fishing opportunities available to the Community fleet. The details have yet to be determined.
Would the Minister agree that the aggressive fishing and fish production in countries like Norway gives rise to concern when entering into bilateral agreements or agreements on equal access to waters because the situation will be more to their advantage? I am sure the Minister and Brussels took that into consideration. In the long term, after Maastricht, are the implication of present and future applications of Scandinavian countries for membership of the Community being considered?
It is generally believed that the Scandinavian countries — Sweden has applied — will be applying for membership of the EC and a whole new situation will arise, particularly with regard to fisheries. It will be a matter for slogging it out at the conference table when that time comes. I should like to tell the Deputy that at the December Council meeting last year, I succeeded in getting the Council and the Commission — importantly — to accept that the specific interests of member states should not be compromised in the December bilateral agreement between the Community and Norway.