L 340/8 Official Journal of the European Union 22.12.2007 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1559/2007 of 17 December 2007 establishing a multi-annual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and amending Regulation (EC) No 520/2007 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 37 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ('), Whereas: Since 14 November 1997, the Community has been a Party to the International Convention for the Conser- vation of Atlantic Tunas (?). At its Annual Meeting in November 2006, the Inter- national Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted Recommendation 2006[05] to establish a 15-year recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. In order to rebuild the stock, the ICCAT recovery plan provides for a graduated reduction in the total allowable catch (TAC) level from 2007 to 2010, restrictions on fishing within certain areas and time periods, a new minimum size for bluefin tuna, measures concerning sport and recreational fishing activities as well as control measures and the implementation of the ICCAT scheme of joint international inspection to ensure the effectiveness of the recovery plan. In order to comply with international obligations following the recommendation of ICCAT, the ICCAT recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean was implemented on a provisional basis in Council Regulation (EC) No 643/2007 of 11 June 2007 amending Regulation (EC) No 41/2007 as concerns the recovery plan for bluefin tuna rec- ommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas () pending the adoption of a Regulation implementing multi-annual measures to recover the bluefin tuna stock in 2007. (") Opinion of 15 November 2007 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () O] L 162, 18.6.1986, p. 33. () O] L 151, 13.6.2007, p. 1. () It is therefore necessary to implement the ICCAT recovery plan on a permanent basis by means of a Regu- lation establishing a recovery plan as provided for in Article 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy (), which will apply from 1 January 2008. Some technical measures adopted by ICCAT for bluefin tuna have now been incorporated in Community law as Regulation (EC) No 520/2007 of 7 May 2007 laying down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species (°). For the sole purpose of their financing until 31 December 2014, the measures for the implementation of the ICCAT recovery plan adopted under this Regu- lation, as well as those provisionally adopted under Regu- lation (EC) No 643/2007, should be deemed to be a recovery plan within the meaning of Article 5 of Regu- lation (EC) No 2371/2002 with effect from the date of the entry into force of Regulation (EC) No 643/2007. The adoption of new technical measures adopted by ICCAT for bluefin tuna and the updating of those in force since the adoption of the above regulation require the deletion of some provisions of Regulation (EC) No 520/2007 and their replacement by this Regulation, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 Subject matter and scope This Regulation lays down the general rules for the application by the Community of a multi-annual recovery plan for bluefin tuna (thunnus thynnus) recommended by the International Commission for the Conservation of the Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). This Regulation shall apply to bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. () OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 865/2007 (OJ L 192, 24.7.2007, p. 1). () O] L 123, 12.5.2007, p. 3.