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Regional Advisory Councils

Regional Advisory Councils will give all those with a direct interest in the Common Fisheries Policy a say in the way it operates. The North Sea RAC will be consulted by the European Commission on the December negotiations tomorrow.

Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) were provided for as part of the 2002 reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy and were established in a Council Decision of July 2004. They will be international stakeholder led bodies, comprising both fishing and other interests including environmental NGOs, consumer groups and scientists. There will be European Community and Member State financial assistance for start-up and operating costs. The establishment of RACs has been welcomed by the Scottish Executive as a means of improving stakeholder involvement in and increasing regional input into fisheries management decisions within the CFP. We have worked closely with colleagues in Defra, other Member States and the European Commission to support the development of RACs and will continue to do so.

North Sea RAC

The North Sea Regional Advisory Council (NSRAC) is the first RAC to become operational. The NSRAC has been organised and planned by the North Sea Commission Fisheries Partnership, a body which was formed in 2001 to bring scientists and fishermen together from around the North Sea. There has been strong Scottish involvement in the development of the NSRAC with Aberdeenshire Council providing the secretariat and a number of key Scottish stakeholders involved from the earliest stages.

NSRAC starts its life with the General Assembly meeting today. At the meeting the General Assembly will elect an Executive Committee to manage the work of the RAC and adopt its recommendations and suggestions. On both the General Assembly and Executive Committee two thirds of the seats will be allotted to representatives of the fisheries sector and one third to representatives of the other interest groups affected by the Common Fisheries Policy.

Scotland also has an interest in 2 further RACs to be established:

¨ The North Western Waters RAC will be a larger RAC covering an area from the west of Shetland to the English Channel - it should be established in the first half of 2005.

¨ The Pelagic RAC will cover the widely disbursed pelagic fisheries. Preparations for this are at an early stage but we hope it can be established by the end of 2005.

LIST OF ORGANISATIONS EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NSRAC GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Members of the GA - Fisheries sector

British Ports Association

UK

National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations

UK

Scottish Fishermen's Federation

UK

Scottish Association of Fish Producers' Organisation

UK

UK Association of Fish Producers Organisations

UK

Scottish Seafood Processors Federation

UK

Stichting voor Duurzame Visserijontwikkeling (SDVO)

BE

Rederscentaale

BE

Vlaams Visserijcomité

BE

Zeebrugge Fish Auction

BE

Bundesverband der deutschen Fischindustrie und Fischgrobhan-dels e.V Hamburg

DE

Verband der Dueutschen Kutter-u. Kustenfischer e.V. Germany

DE

Danish Seafood Association

DK

Danmarks Fiskeriforening

DK

Spanish Federation of Fisheries Organisations (FEOPE)

ES

Co-operative Maritime Etaploise

FR

Comite Regional des Peches Maritimes et des Elevages Marins Nord-Pas de Calais/Picardie

FR

Comite National des Peches Maritimes et des Elevages Marins (CNPMEM)

FR

From Nord

FR

Union des Armateurs a la Peche de France (UAPF)

FR

Syndicat des marins pecheurs

FR

Pro-Nederlandse Vissersbond

NL

Federatie van Visserijverenigingen

NL

Visfederatie

NL

Stichting van de Nederlandse Vissery

NL

Swedish Fisherman Federation/Sveriges Fiskaries Riksforbund

SE

Fiskbranschens Riksforbund

SE

Polnocnoatlantycka Organizacja Producentow SP.20.0 Poland

PO

EU Federation of National Organisations of Importers and Exporters of Fish

EU

European Association of Fishing Ports and Auctions (EAFPA)

EU

European Association Producers Organisation (EAPO)

EU

European Transport Workers Federation (ETF)

EU

European Organisation for Fish Traders

EU

Members of the GA - Other Interest groups.

European Bureau for Conservation and Development

EU

Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Seafood Group)

UK

Federation of European Aquaculture Producers

EU

Birdlife International

EU

The Danish Society for A Living Sea

DK

European Anglers Alliance

EU

Greenpeace International

EU

North Sea Women's Network

EU

Seas at Risk

NL

European Fishing Tackle Trade Association

EU

WWF

EU

Additional members who will participate, but without formal voting rights

Fishsalesmen's Association (Scotland) Limited

UK

Scottish Whitefish Producers Association

UK

Shetland Fishermen's Association

UK

Orkney Fisheries Association

UK

Anglo Scottish Fish Producers' Association

UK

Anglo Scottish Fisherman's Association

UK

Eastern England Fish Producers Organisation Limited

UK

Fife Fish Producers Organisation Limited

UK

Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises

UK

Peterhead Harbour Trustees

UK

The Humber Seafood Group

UK

Vinvis Women in Fisheries Network of the Netherlands

NL

Active observers

European Commission

OSPAR

Advisory Committee on Fisheries & Aquaculture

Member State Administration - Denmark

Member State Administration - Sweden

Member State Administration - Belgium

Member State Administration - France

Member State Administration - Spain

Regional Administration - Conselleria de Pesca e Asuntos Maritmos. Xunta de Galicia

Member State Administration - The Netherlands

Member State Administration - Germany

Member State Administration - Poland

Member State Administration - UK

Regional Administration - Scottish Executive

Third Country Administration - Norway

Norwegian Fishermen's Association

Northern Pelagic Working Group (Pelagic RAC)

North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission

North Sea Commission Executive Committee

Observers

N.O.V.A Netherlands

NL

West of Four Fisheries Management Group (WOFFMG)

UK

North East Scotland Fisheries Development Partnership

UK

Shetland Ocean Alliance - SHOAL

UK

Shetland Island Council

UK

Highland Council

UK

English Nature

UK

Scottish Natural Heritage

UK

North Atlantic Fisheries College

UK

Europeche

EU

Cogeca

EU

European Association of Fisheries Economists

EU

Expert Advisers

Daan Delbare

BE

Frans van Beek

NL

Fredrik Arrhenius

SE

Fritz Koster

DK

Gerd Hubold

DE

Hans Lassen (ICES)

EU

Luc van Hoof

NL

Niels Axel Nielsen

DK

Ole Misund

Norway

Richard Millner (CEFAS)

UK

Robin Cook (FRS)

UK

David Syme, Hull University

UK

North Atlantic Fisheries College, Dr Ian Napier

UK

North Atlantic Fisheries College, Peter Dryburgh

UK

Jenny Hatchard of the University of Newcastle

UK

Craig McLean, Department of Politics, Newcastle University

UK



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Page updated: Thursday, November 4, 2004