5.2.92 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 29/39 COMMISSION DECISION of 20 December 1991 on the multiannual guidance programme for aquaculture and the provision of protected marine areas (1992 to 1996) submitted by Italy pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86 _{Only the Italian text is authentic) (92/71/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, H'aving regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4028/86 of 18 December 1986 on Community measures to improve and adapt structures in the fisheries and aquacul- ture sector ('), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) - No 3944/90 (%), and in particular Articles 2 and 4 thereof, Whereas the structural policies implemented by the Community in the aquaculture sector must have develop- ment objectives which are compatible with all Commu- nity policies and must contribute to the establishment of the common economic area; Whereas those objectives must ensure more far-reaching economic and social cohesion while allowmg market rules to apply; Whereas it is more important to create the conditions favourable to development than to make provision for specific measures only; Whereas steps should be taken to coordinate, in a comprehensive and coherent framework, the operations of the financial instruments both in the Community and in the Member States; Whereas, in areas where it is being developed, aquaculture interacts with the natural environment; whereas, in certain circumstances, aquaculture may in some cases affect the environment positively and in others nega-- tively ; Whereas Council Directives 91/67/EEC (), 91/492/ EEC (%) and 91/493/EEC (°) harmonize the rules governing animal health and public health as applied to fish farms; Whereas pressure on space and in particular intense competition regarding the use of the coastline are a major i () OJ No L 376, 31. 12. 1986, p. 7. () OJ No L 380, 31. 12. 1990, p. 1. () OJ No L 46, 19. 2. 1991, p. 1 () O] No L 268, 24. 9. 1991, p. 1. () O] No L 268, 24. 9. 1991, p. 15. constraint on the development of aquaculture ; whereas it is essential, therefore, that preference be given to a policy of identifying sites which are suitable for the development of aquaculture as an integral part of the landscape and to coastline development projects ; Whereas the future of aquaculture will be determined also by the ability of the industry to increase the range of production by operating experimental farms and pilot projects arising from research ; Whereas on 30 April 1991 the Italian Government forwarded to the Commission a multiannual guidance programme for aquaculture and the provision of protected marine areas, hereinafter called ‘the programme’ ; whereas - -on 9 October 1991 it forwarded the latest additional infor- mation concerning the programme ; Whereas the aim of the programme is to increase Italian aquaculture production, to . rationalize and modernize existing installations and to provide protected marine ~ areas ; whereas the Member State considers that approxi- mately ECU 130 million are necessary for the completion of the programme; whereas the approval of the programme is without prejudice to any later selection of individual investment projects ; Whereas the programme concerns all the structural poli- cies implemented in the aquaculture sector of the Member State concerned ; Whereas the aquaculture sector is developing within a commercial framework, a feature of which is the growth of international competition ; whereas the development of the market in aquaculture species could entail the need to - adjust the objectives for the production of certain species ; Whereas flexible planning is required based on routine monitoring of the factors of production and market conditions ; whereas a close watch needs to be kept on the programme, therefore, and this can only be done if reliable figures are available which are regularly updated and which apply to the national territory as a whole; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee for the Fishing Industry,