12.5.2007 Official Journal of the European Union L 123/3 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 520/2007 of 7 May 2007 laying down technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species and repealing Regulation (EC) No 973/2001 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: The Community has by Decision 98/392/EC () approved the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which contains principles and rules relating to the conservation and management of the living resources of the sea. In the framework of its wider international obligations, the Community participates in efforts made in international waters to conserve fish stocks. Pursuant to Decision 86/238/EEC (%) the Community has been a Contracting Party to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, hereinafter ‘the ICCAT Convention’, since 14 November 1997. The ICCAT Convention provides a framework for regional cooperation on the conservation and management of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjoining seas through the setting up of an International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, hereinafter the ‘ICCAT, and the adoption of recommendations on conservation and management in the Convention area which become binding on the Contracting Parties. ICCAT has recommended a number of technical measures for certain stocks of highly migratory species in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, specifying inter alia authorised sizes and weights of fish, and restrictions on fishing within certain areas and time periods, with () O] L 179, 23.6.1998, p. 1. () O] L 162, 18.6.1986, p. 33. () O (*) O ( ’) ] ] J certain gears, and on capacity. These recommendations are binding on the Community and should therefore be implemented. The Community has by Decision 95/399/EC (?) approved the Agreement for the establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. The Agreement provides an appro- priate framework for closer international cooperation and the rational use of tunas and related species in the Indian Ocean by setting up the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, hereinafter the 10OTC, and adopting rec- ommendations on conservation and management in the IOTC area which become binding on the Contracting Parties. The IOTC has adopted a recommendation laying down technical measures for certain stocks of highly migratory species in the Indian Ocean and in particular the limiting of capacity. That recommendation is binding on the Community and should therefore be implemented. The Community has by Decision 2005/938/EC (*) approved the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme. It should therefore apply the provisions laid down in that Agreement. The objectives of the Agreement include a progressive reduction of incidental dolphin mortalities in the tuna purseseine fishery in the Eastern Pacific Ocean to levels approaching zero, by setting annual limits, and the long- term sustainability of the tuna stocks in the Agreement Area. The Community has fishing interests in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and has participated in the procedure for the adoption of the Convention for the strengthening of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, here- inafter the ‘Antigua Convention’. By Decision 2005/26/EC (°) it signed the Antigua Convention and launched the procedure for becoming a party to it. Pending the entry into force of the Antigua Convention, the Community, as a cooperating non-contracting party to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, here- inafter the TATTC, has decided to apply the technical measures adopted by the IATTC. These measures should therefore be incorporated in Community law. L 236, 5.10.1995, p. 24. L 348, 30.12.2005, p. 26. L 15, 19.1.2005, p. 9.