The Common Fisheries Policy, amended in 2002, incorporated the underlying principles of this approach, attaching greater importance to the sustainable exploitation of living resources in line with informed scientific opinion and calling for precautionary measures in the management of fisheries and aquaculture. The latter is the main operative instrument for the strategy set out in the National Strategic Plan for fisheries over the same period. It should be pointed out that changes were made in some areas in order to mitigate the adverse impact of higher fuel prices. This programme was part of the third Community Support Framework (CSF III) covering the period 2000-06.