Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for fishery resources in the Convention Area as defined in the Convention on Future Multilateral Co-operation in the North-East Atlantic
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES •* a A Brussels, 17. 04. 1996 COM(96) 162 final Proposal for a CX>!. !M. lL. JiikCjLJJ^lI<_)_N_(!. iD laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for fishery resources in the Convention Area as defined in the Convention on Future Multilateral Co-operation in the North-East Atlantic (presented by the Commission) EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM During many years, the question of the regulation of oceanic-type redfish formed the subject matter of protracted discussions within the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC). At an Extraordinary Meeting from 19 to 21 March 1996, NEAFC was now able to adopt a recommendation of conservation and management measures for thai fish stock for 1996. That recommendation was adopted by a qualified majority of the Contracting Parties of NEAFC, including the Community. The recommended measures consist in a total allowable catch (TAC) of 153,000 tonnes which covers oceanic-type redfish in its entire area of distribution and which is allocated among the Contracting Parties concerned. Within this TAC, a share of 23,000 tonnes has become available to the Community. Furthermore, Denmark (on behalf of the Faroe Islands and Greenland) committed itself to transfer to the Community a further 4,000 tonnes. This results in a total 27,000 tonnes of oceanic-type redfish available to the Community in 1996. As this recommendation has been adopted with the full support of the Community, the Commission now proposes its full implementing at Community level. In order to enhance the impact of the measures recommended by NEAFC and to ensure that Community fishing vessels can carry out their operations in economically appropriate conditions, it is also proposed to share out the Community share of oceanic-type redfish between the Member States concerned in application of the traditional "relative stability" criteria with an appropriate reference period of five years which reflects duly the twofold reality of the past catch records and the current fishing patterns. £ Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /96 of 1996 laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for fishery resources in the Convention Area as defined in the Convention on Future Multilateral Co-operation in the North-East Atlantic THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 estbalishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture (,), and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas the Community has signed 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 within the exclusive economic zones of the coastal States and on the high seas; Whereas the Convention on Multilateral Co-operation in the North-East Atlantic, hereafter referred to as the "NEAFC Convention", was approved by the Council in Decision 81/608/EEC of 13 July 1981 (2) and entered into force on 17 March 1982; Whereas the NEAFC Convention establishes a suitable framework for multilateral co operation in the rational conservation and the optimum utilization of the fishery resources of the Convention Area as defined therein; Whereas the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission adopted on 21 March 1996 a recommendation limiting the catches of redfish in the Convention Area for 1996; whereas it is appropriate that this recommendation be implemented by the Community; Whereas, in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No. 3760/92, it falls to the Council to establish for each fishery or group of fisheries the total allowable catch (TAC) and the share available to the Community and to allocate the share available to the Community among the Member States; (1) <2> O. J. No. L 389, 31. 12. 1992, p. 1 O. J. No. L 227, 12. 8. 1981, p. 21 Whereas the fishing activities covered by this Regulation are subject to the control measures provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2847/93 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy (3); HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Catches in 1996 of redfish by Community fishing vessels shall be limited to the quotas set out in the Annex. All catches by Community fishing vessels of redfish prior to the adoption of this Regulation shall be counted against the quotas set out in the Annex. Article 2 This regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirely and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 1996 For the Council The President (3) O. J. No. L261, 20. 10. 1993, p. 1 U ANNEX Stock Member State 1996 quota Species Geographical area Redfish (Sebastes mentella, oceanic-type) (l) ICES XIV/XII/V (2) Austria Belgium Denmark Finland Germany Greece France Ireland Italy Luxembourg the Netherlands Portugal Spain Sweden the United Kingdom EC total 21,422 853 5 2,846 1,874 27,000 (3) (,) (2) (3) Fished with pelagic trawls, excluding discards but including the fish above as well as below the acoustic layer Community fishing waters and areas beyond fisheries jurisdiction of the other coastal States Includes a transfer of 4,000 tonnes from Denmark (on behalf of the Faroe Islands and Greenland) <T ISSN 0254-1475 COM(96) 162 final DOCUMENTS EN 11 03 Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-175-EN-C ISBN 92-78-02680-8 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg 6