European Union Consultation – Including ban on use of projectiles .

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by turunc2006

...John Whittakers main efforts will continue to be to secure the withdrawal of the UK from the EU as amicably but as quickly as possible.

He wishes to see power and responsibility returned to our most directly elected representatives at Westminster who have colluded in the transfer of powers to Brussels from whence some 75/80% of our laws now emanate.

That is why your interest group is facing the problems which you so thoroughly highlight and which it will be extremely difficult to oppose given the horse-trading ethos which influences much of the EU legislative process.

However, John will do whatever he can to raise your concerns in the EU parliament, even though the real powers of MEPs are restricted - their role is to gloss a veneer of democratic respectability over the activities of the unelected commission which is the sole body with law-originating powers in the the whole set-up.

...

He doesn't sit on the fence does he! Nice response and refreshing to see a politician that is trying to eliminate his own job, in the public interest. Also interesting to get an insiders perspective. [Watched Boris Johnson in action at Mayor's question time, in the London assembly(?) last night. Excellent entertainment. Worth watching.]

[fcallagy]

response i got from one of our MEPs

Dear Feargus,

Thank you for your email.

We will submit questions to the European Commission on your behalf highlighting your views.

We will look into the reasons why this has been included and possible solutions.

We will refer back to you once we have received and answer from the European Commission which can take 6-8 weeks.

Kind regards,

Francis Doherty,

Assistant to Jim Higgins MEP
European Parliament
ASP 08F 357,
Rue Wiertz,
B-1047 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32.22847843
Fax: +32.22849843

jim.higgins-assistant@europarl.europa.eu

Jim Higgins - MEP - Ireland's Northwest European Constituency

[felipe felop]

i spoke personally to MP ben bradshaw in exeter yesterday as many of you may know he was the maff/defra representative for the government, he tells me he finds it ridiculous that a recreational sport will have the kind of impact on fishing & the environment and it will probably have nothing to do with the proposals set but will look at it & write a letter of the issues raised back to me with the outcome,watch this space

[Mr. X]

Best approach Felipe! I occasionally see our MP around, may be I should have a chat (esp. as he didn't reply yet). BTW just got another response from our only Labour MEP:

From: Glyn Ford MEP [mailto:mep@glynford.com]
Sent: 30 July 2008 14:55
To: X
Subject: Spear Fishing

Dear X

I have not heard any news about this yet. Am contacting our rep on Fisheries Committee and will let you know as soon as I hear. The European Parliament is in recess now until 25 August. Kind regards

Yours truly

Cherry Burrow
Political Asst to Glyn Ford MEP

European Parliamentary Labour Party
Socialist Group
Belle Vue Centre
6 Belle Vue Road
Cinderford
Gloucestershire
GL14 2AB
England

A pleasant response. It would be nice to see our govt. on track (don't think they might have been trying to sneak this in quietly do you?!), they've been remarkably quiet on the subject so far.

[turunc2006]

More details from North-West England UKIP. Their press secretary has reconfirmed to me today that they've sent a piece out to all the regional and weekly papers in the North West and the local radios and TV stations.

[turunc2006]

I got this from Labour yesterday which quickly prompted my reply. See both below.

*********************************************

Dear .

Mr Titley's colleague Catherine Stihler, has informed me that the regulation you refer to, on the conservation of fisheries resources will be debated in the European Parliament in the autumn. A report containing changes to the regulation will be voted on in committee in December, with the final Parliament vote scheduled for January.

Mrs Stihler has offered to ask the Commission about the thinking behind the ban on recreational spearfishing directly. By raising the subject in this way, there may be scope for amendments to the regulation, which will clarify the position on this issue. ie, the problem may be solved, or at the very least, good reasons given for the ban. However, it's not possible to make any promises at this stage!

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Isabel

Isabel Summers

Assistant to Gary Titley MEP

Leader of the European Parliamentary Labour Party

Brussels ASP 13G 305

Tel: +32 2284 7212

Fax: +32 2284 9212

Strasbourg LOW T07 065

Tel: +33 3881 75212

Fax: +33 3881 79212

www.garytitley.com

Thanks Isabel, but can you ask Catherine does she agree with us that a ban (if intended, but we're hoping that it actually wasn't) is unjustifiable and will be putting our case in that debate.

Could she also find out for us whether it actually was the Commission's intention to implement a ban on recreational spearfishing in the North Atlantic.

Feel free to pass this e-mail on to her if it would make it easier.

I'll await her response.

[SurfnSpear]

Dear Brett,

Further to our previous correspondence, I have now received a response to my letter to Joe Borg, the European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, regarding the proposal for a Council Regulation that outlined acceptable fishing practices. I have attached the letter to this email: if you have any trouble with viewing the TIF file, please let me know and I will send it in a different format.

In summary, the Commissioner has acknowledged that, while the Commission does not intend to prohibit recreational spearfishing, the wording does not at all make this clear. The Commissioner says the article certainly ‘can’ be made more specific. I will be in contact with him to ask him to ensure that this clarification will made clear in the final language. All things being well, I believe that with this clarification in place then spearfishing will be safe.

Yours Sincerely,

Sharon Bowles MEP

[James T]

Again - another positive response - all feels good eh!

Interesting signature...

[KWM]

whilst I cannot read the letter, seems like good news.

thanks Brett.

[SurfnSpear]

Kev, keep clicking into each image and on the last one hover your mouse over the image and an 'expand' button appears. Click that and it will be big enough.

cheers

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by James T

Again - another positive response - all feels good eh!

Interesting signature...

That is an interesting signature So far, so good.

[Old Man Dave]

Just back from a holiday in Italy. I learnt that they still have an active swordfish fishery where the fish are taken by use of harpoons. Apparently the fish migrate past the south coast as part of their breeding cycle (so I was told). There are still quite a few of the specialist harpoon boats with the tall mast complete with crows nest for the lookout and the long bowsprit for the harpooner to get way out in front of the boat hulls pressure wave. I wonder if this is connected to why this new proposed regulation will not cover the Med and are there other projectile fishing methods in use?

Dave

[MrCoombe]

Got this

Dear Mr Coombe,

I write further to my email of 4 July regarding the Commission’s proposals that could prevent spearfishing.

I have now received a reply from Commissioner Borg, the EU Commissioner for fisheries which I attach for your perusal. I am pleased to note that it is not the Commissions intention to prevent spearfishing as a sport, and that the Commissioner accepts the need for clarification of the proposals to remove any doubt. Please be assured that my Group will monitor this legislation to ensure sufficient clarification is in place.

Thank you for contacting me on this matter and if I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.


with this attatched
Dear Mr Watson

Thankyou four your letter of 1 July on the proposal for a Council Regulation on technical measures in the Atlantic and especially on the public prohibition of recreational spearfishing.

I have noted your request and, especially the question by your constituent on recreational spearfishin and the reason why you believe that this fishing practice is not a destructive method.

One of the main objectives of the proposal for techinical measures in the Atlantic was to simplify the current regulations which have become too complex and sometimes difficult to understand.

On Your concern, I note that there is no definition of the expression "any kind of projectiles" which is used in the current technical regulations and I agree that it may not be clear what fishing practices are covered by this provision.

However, I can assure you that it is not the intention of the Commission to Prohibit recreational spearfishing. The article concerned can certainly be made clearer and more specific to dissipate any doubt.

Yours Sincerely

Joe Borg
Member of the European Commision



Not bad eh

[fcallagy]

nice one well done

[Mr. X]

Looks like one of my MEPs Mr. Graham Watson of the Lib Dems. got a similar response from the Borg: