Use of aqualungs when spear fishing

Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130
Alfred Sant (S&D)

E-004136-16
Subject: Use of aqualungs when spear fishing

The Commission refers in Article 7 of its proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of fishery resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures(1) to ‘prohibited fishing gears and methods’.
Specifically, that article states:
‘It shall be prohibited to catch or harvest marine species using the following methods: (…)
(h) spear-guns if used in conjunction with underwater breathing apparatus (aqualung) or at night from sunset to dawn’.

Can the Commission please clarify the exact reason(s) for including this paragraph on the use of aqualungs when spear fishing?

Can the Commission please provide any impact assessment that it has conducted concerning the use of aqualungs when spear fishing and its negative impact on the marine environment?

Answer given by Mr Vella on behalf of the Commission
The Commission proposal for a regulation on technical measures(1) includes a prohibition on the use of spear guns. This prohibition is currently included in the regulations on technical measures for the Baltic Sea (2187/2005, Art 8.4(2)), for the Mediterranean Sea (1967/2006(3), Art 8.4 of Regulation 1967/2006) and, in relation to use for recreational fishing, in the North East Atlantic Union waters (850/98(4), Art 31.4). Sensitive coastal species have their resting period at night and henceforth become more available and vulnerable and more easily harvested. With SCUBA(5) gear divers can stay submerged for longer periods and can access important refuges such as spawning areas not readily accessible to other fishing gears. This potentially results in localised stock depletions.
Given that the proposed measure does not imply any change to the existing prohibitions, there has been no need for an assessment of the impact of changes to the rules.

E-004136-16
Suġġett: L-użu tal-aqualungs waqt is-sajd bil-ħarpun
Fl-Artikolu 7 tal-proposta tagħha għal Regolament tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill dwar il-konservazzjoni ta’ riżorsi tas-sajd u l-protezzjoni ta’ ekosistemi tal-baħar permezz ta’ miżuri tekniċi(1), il-Kummissjoni tirreferi għal “Irkaptu u metodi tas-sajd ipprojbiti”.
B’mod speċifiku, dan l-artikolu jistipula li:
“Għandu jkun ipprojbit li jinqabdu jew jinħasdu speċijiet tal-baħar bl-użu tal-metodi li ġejjin: (…)
(h) ħarpuns jekk użati flimkien ma’ apparat tat-teħid tan-nifs taħt l-ilma (aqualung) jew filgħaxija minn inżul ix-xemx sakemm jisbaħ”.
Tista’ l-Kummissjoni tiċċara r-raġuni(jiet) eżatta/i għall-inklużjoni ta’ dan il-paragrafu dwar l-użu tal-aqualungs waqt is-sajd bil-ħarpun?
Tista’ l-Kummissjoni tipprovdi kwalunkwe valutazzjoni tal-impatt li wettqet rigward l-użu tal-aqualungs waqt is-sajd bil-ħarpun u l-impatt negattiv tiegħu fuq l-ambjent tal-baħar?

Tweġiba mogħtija mis-Sur Vella f’isem il-Kummissjoni
Il-proposta tal-Kummissjoni għal Regolament dwar il-miżuri tekniċi(1) tinkludi projbizzjoni fuq l-użu ta’ froxxni. Din il-projbizzjoni bħalissa tinsab fir-Regolamenti dwar miżuri tekniċi għall-Baħar Baltiku (2187/2005, Art 8.4(2)), għall-Baħar Mediterran (1967/2006(3), Art 8.4 tar-Regolament 1967/2006) u, f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam mal-użu għas-sajd rekreattiv, fl-ilmijiet tal-Unjoni tal-Atlantiku tal-Grigal (850/98(4), Art 31.4) Is-speċi sensittivi kostali jkollhom il-perjodu ta’ mistrieħ tagħhom billejl u għalhekk isiru aktar disponibbli u vulnerabbli u jistgħu jinħasdu aktar faċilment. Bit-tagħmir SCUBA(5), il-bugħaddasa jistgħu jibqgħu taħt l-ilma għal perjodi itwal u jkollhom aċċess għal refuġji importanti bħal żoni ta’ riproduzzjoni mhux faċilment aċċessibbli għal irkapti oħra tas-sajd. Dan jista’ jwassal għal tnaqqir ta’ stokk lokalizzat.
Minħabba li l-miżura proposta ma timplika l-ebda bidla għall-projbizzjonijiet eżistenti, ma kienx hemm il-ħtieġa għal valutazzjoni tal-impatt tal-bidliet fir-regoli.