31.1.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 30/1 II (Non-legislative acts) DECISIONS COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 11 December 2013 confirming measures proposed by the United Kingdom for the protection of marine ecosystems in the areas of conservation Haisborough Hammond & Winterton; Start Point to Plymouth Sound & Eddystone, and Land’s End & Cape Bank (notified under document C(2013) 9003) (Only the Dutch, English and French texts are authentic) (2014/13/EV) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European (3) Measures concerning the conservation, management and exploitation of living aquatic resources are subject to the rules of the common fisheries policy. Union, 4  Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 enables Member States to take non-discriminatory measures to ) ) ) minimise the effect of fishing on the conservation of Having regard to Council Regulat1op (EC) No 2.371/2002 ‘?f marine ecosystems within 12 nautical miles, provided 20. Decembe.r 2092 on the conservation and sustainable .CXpl(.)l— that the Union has not adopted measures addressing tation 1Of f1she?1es resources ur}der thf,: common ﬁsher.les conservation or management specifically for that area. pol%cy( ), and in particular Article 9 in conjunction with Directive 92[43/EEC requires the establishment of Article 8(3) thereof, conservation measures as necessary for these sites. The Member States’ measures must be compatible with the objectives of the common fisheries policy as set out in Whereas: Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 and no less : stringent than existing Union legislation. If the measures apply to fishing vessels from other Member States, they must be notified to the Commission, to the Member (1) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the States and to the Regional ~Advisory ~Councils conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and concerr}ed and be subsequently confirmed by the flora (%) provides for the possibility to designate at EU Commission. level specific conservation sites. Under Articles 3 and 4, that Directive requires Member States to establish special areas of conservation and, under Article 6 thereof, to ) ) - take the necessary measures to protect these sites from (5> On18 Nqunber 2013 the I.Jrnted Kingdom notified the disturbance and deterioration. measures it intends to take in the above three areas of conservation to Belgium and France, which are the Member States concerned by the measures, as well as to the North Sea Regional Advisory Council, the North () By Commission Implementing Decision 2012/13/EU (%) Western Waters Regional Advisory Council and to the the areas called Haisborough, Hammond & Winterton European Commission. (UK0030369), Start Point to Plymouth Sound & Eddystone (UK0030373) and Land’s End & Cape Bank (UK0030375) were included in the list of Sites of Community Importance under Article 4(2) of Directive (6)  The measures put forward on the basis of Directive 92/43[EEC. 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59. 0J L 0] L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7. 0J L 11, 13.1.2012, p. 1. 92[43[EEC by the United Kingdom establish a zoning of the three areas of conservation, and the prohibition to use any bottom towed fishing gear within specified areas in each of the three designated areas of conser- vation. For the purposes of the measures addressed by