Commission Report 2002 (Romania)

• Progress since the last Regular Report
• Overall assessment
• Conclusion

Chapter 8: Fisheries

Progress since the last Regular Report

Over the past year, some progress has taken place in the fisheries sector.

Concerning resource management, inspection and control implementing legislation was adopted concerning the recording and transmission of data on maritime fishing activity, the regulation of fishing licences and quota distribution amongst licence holders.

In August 2002, legislation was adopted establishing the National Company for the Management of the Fisheries Fund as well as a Fisheries Inspectorate. Inspectors have been given considerable additional powers.

Inspection operations, under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry in collaboration with the Ministries of Waters and Environmental Protection and the Interior, continued to make progress. In the course of 2001, 151 infringements were detected and the Coast Guard and the Fisheries inspectors opened 75 criminal investigations.

The 2001 Fisheries Law introduced a fishing vessel register, but appropriate administrative structures still have to be established. A total of 11 fishing vessels are licensed and registered. No progress can be reported regarding connection to the EC fishing vessel register.

In the field of structural actions, no progress can be recorded.

Concerning market policy, Romania formally adopted a list of commercial denominations of fish species and aquatic life which may be traded on Romanian territory. The supply of fish in Romania is funnelled through several distribution channels. Some of the companies are vertically integrated covering all stages from fishing to retailing. A total of 10 professional associations have been set up representing, respectively, the interests of producers and traders (three), Danube Delta fishermen (five) and Black Sea fishermen (two). However, there is no indication as to their compliance with the EC conditions for recognising such organisations.

As concerns state aid to the fisheries sector, support is now provided to preserve animal genetic heritage including freshwater fish. In total, the new measure concerns ten farms and research institutes. No other state aid for the fisheries sector exists. Romanian Black Sea fisheries continue to benefit from VAT exemptions for diesel oil.

As regards international fisheries agreements, Romania became a member of the International Organisation for the Development of Fishing in Central and Eastern Europe (EUROFISH) in October 2001. Negotiations still continue on a new convention for fishing in the Black Sea.

Overall assessment

Existing weaknesses as regards administrative structures remain to be addressed. The institutional set-up has yet to be streamlined and some administrative responsibilities still need to be clarified between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and the Ministry of Waters and Environmental Protection. The Fisheries Department within the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, although recently reinforced, remains understaffed.

In the field of resource management, inspection and controls, Romania has a licensing scheme for marine fishing vessels. Licences specify the type of fishing, allowed gears and area of operation. The size of Romania`s fishing fleet has continued to decline and aquaculture has become relatively more important, particularly in the Danube delta. The legislative framework in Romania is largely in line with the acquis.

Control activities have again increased but fisheries control in Romania is still weak. No full-time enforcement service exists and the inspectors carry out many other tasks. More emphasis should be put on training fisheries inspectors and providing appropriate equipment, as well as on increasing the number of inspectors for controlling sea fisheries.

Romania still needs to set up a market-monitoring instrument and improve the collection of statistics. Development of a research strategy remains among Romania's short-term priorities in fisheries.

Romania is party to several international fisheries conventions and is a member of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean.

Conclusion

In its 1997 Opinion the Commission concluded that significant efforts were needed in order to adapt the sector for accession. At the same time the Commission noted that the integration of the Romanian fishing industry into the Common Fisheries Policy would not cause major problems. The Commission also remarked that the industry in Romania was outdated and required modernising.

Since the Opinion, Romania has adopted the necessary framework legislation, but progress in establishing the administrative structures has been slow. Considerable further work is needed to achieve compliance with the acquis.

Negotiations on this chapter have been provisionally closed. Romania has not requested any transitional arrangements. Romania is generally meeting the commitments it has made during the accession negotiations in this field.

Further efforts should focus on implementing the recently adopted legislation governing the functioning of the main administrative structures.

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