Sweden, Austria support 'greener' CFP; China hits out at EU ban; Canada to expand salmon farming; NAFO meeting allows increased fishing; Namibia halts fishing expansion; Chilean salmon export value down in 2001

摘要

Government ministers in Sweden and Austria have spoken out in favour of a reformed EU Common Fisheries Policy, based on the precautionary principle and ecological sustainability. Meanwhile, Spain, France and Portugal are firmly opposed to any movesto drastically reduce fleet sizes. The EU has banned imports of various Chinese food products, including shellfish, following the recent discovery of a banned antibiotic in shrimps from China. However, the Chinese have rejected the findings of EU inspectors who visited the country, and there are reports of retaliation. The government of British Columbia in western Canada is set to lift a seven-year moratorium on the issue of new salmon farming licences at the end of April this year. A new policy framework, said to provide the toughest environmental standards in the world, will be introduced at the same time. Environmentalists and Alaskans are unhappy. The delayed annual meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation has agreed to increase Greenland halibut quotas and days at sea allocations for shrimp fishing. Canadian proposals to tighten conservation measures in the zone were rejected. The Namibian government has said it will not issue any new fishing rights for the next six years, apart from horse mackerel. It wants to avoid a situation where "too many fishermen are chasing too few fish". The value of Chilean salmon and trout exports fell by about 1 percent in 2001, compared with 2000, despite a 46 percent volume increase. The country isplanning to keep production in 2002 at about the same level as 2001.