Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 45/98 fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the total allowable catches for 1998 and certain conditions under which they may be fished
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 11. 03. 1998 COM(1998) 144 final Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) amending Regulation (EC) No. 45/98 fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups offish stocks, the total allowable catches for 1998 and certain conditions under which they may be fished (presented by the Commission) EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM The objective of the present proposal is to fix fishing possibilities for certain stocks offish and to allocate these equitably to Member States. The fixing and the sharing of possibilities for fishing falls exclusively within the competence of the Community and arises from obligations set out in Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of the Council of 20 December 19921, establishing a Community regime for fishing and aquaculture. According to scientific evidence, a number of fish stocks in the North Sea, which at present constitute an important by-catch in traditional fisheries, could be in the near future subject to an increased exploitation which may put them in biological risk. It would be therefore desirable to set limits to their catch in order that, without being necessarily restrictive in the short term, they would prevent an uncontrolled expansion of exploitation rates. The allocation of these catch limits must, in accordance with the second sub-paragraph of Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92, ensure relative stability of fishing activities. This can be approached by setting Member States' fish quotas for 1998 as the highest catch observed during the last five-year period. in the The Commission had already presented a similar proposal to the Council in 1997 framework of the general decisions on TACs for 1998. However, the Council postponed its decision in order to allow a revision of catch statistics. Accordingly, the present proposal replaces the former by updating the relevant catch statistics on the basis of Member States' catch declarations. This proposal N° 4S/983. intends to address these matters by modifying Council Regulation (EC) ()J. Nof389. 31. 12. 1992, p. I COM(97)669 final O. J. N o L I 2, 19. 1. 1998, p. I SU Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) No /98 of 1998 amending Regulation (EC) No. 45/98 fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the total allowable catches for 1998 and certain conditions under which they may be fished THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3760/921 of 20 December 1992 establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture as amended by the Act of Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas Regulation (EC) No. 45/98 fixes, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the TACs for 1998 and certain conditions under which they may be fished; Whereas it is desirable to set new TACs for 1998 in order to limit the catches of a number of additional fish stocks or group of fish stocks in the North Sea; whereas these TACs should be allocated among Member States in accordance with the second sub-paragraph of Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92; Whereas Council Regulation (EC) No. 45/98 should therefore be amended accordingly, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION O. J. No L389, 31. 12. 1992, p. 1 O. J. NoL12, 19. 1. 1998, p. l 3 Article 1 The tables in annexes 1 and II to this Regulation shall be inserted, respectively, in Annexes I and III to Regulation (EC) No 45/98. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels. For the Council, The President * Annex I, p. 1 Species: Belgie / Belgique Danmark Deutschland Ellada Espana France Ireland Italia Luxembourg Nederland Osterrelch Portugal Suomi/Finland Sverige United Kingdom EC TAC Megrims Lepidorhombus spp. (1) |Zone: iia(i). North sea(i) Community waters 10 10 10 50 40 2880 3000 3000 Zone: iia(i), North sea (1) (1) Community waters i Species: Belgie / Belgique Danmark Deutschland Ellada Espana France Ireland Italia Luxembourg Nederland Osterreich Portugal Suomi/Finland Sverige United Kingdom EC TAC Anglerfish Lophiklae 770 1710 830 150 580 10 17950 22000 22000 s~ Annex I, p. 2 Zone: iia(i), North sea (1) ( 2) Community waters Including brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) Species: Belgie / Belgique Danmark Deutschland Ellada Espana France Ireland Italia Luxembourg Nederland Osterreich Portugal Suomi/Finland Sverige United Kingdom EC TAC (2) Turbot Psetta maxima 6 60 1410 360 170 5000 10 1390 9000 9000 Species: Skates and rays Zone: iia(i), North Sea Rajidae i (1) Community waters Belgie / Belgique Danmark Deutschland Ellada Espana France Ireland Italia Luxembourg Nederland Osterreich Portugal Suomi/Finland Sverige United Kingdom EC TAC 1010 30 40 150 860 3910 6000 6000 £ Species: Belgie / Belgique Danmark Deutschland Ellada Espana France Ireland Italia Luxembourg Nederland Osterreich Portugal Suomi/Finland Sverige United Kingdom EC TAC Species: Belgie / Belgique Danmark Deutschland Ellada Espana France Ireland Italia Luxembourg Nederland Osterreich Portugal Suomi/Finland Sverige United Kingdom EC TAC Annex I, p. 3 Dab (2) Limanda limanda 760 2860 4300 Zone: iia(i), North sea(i) i (1) (2) Community waters including flounder (PiaOchthys flesus) 290 17380 0 2410 28000 28000 Lemon sole (2) Microstomus kitt 600 1640 210 Zone: iia (1), North Sea (1) (1) (2) Community waters including witch (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) 450 1370 20 6710 11000 11000 3- Annex II Common name Species Stocks Latin name Area Megrims Anglerfish Turbot and brill Skates and Rays Dab and flounder Lemon sole and witch Lepidorhombus spp. Lophius spp. Psetta maxima & ScophthaJmus rhombus Rajidae spp. Umanda limanda & Platichthys flesus Microstomas kitt & Gtyptocephalus cynoglossus lla(1) Ha(1) Had) lla(1) lla(1) lla(1) , North Sea (1) , North Sea (1) , North Sea (1) , North Sea (1) , North Sea (1) , North Sea (1) Type of TAC A=analytical P= precautionary P P P P P P Articles 3 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 applicable ( 1/0 = yes/no) Deductions of Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 applicable ( 1/0 = yes/no ) 0 0 0 0 0 0 (1) Community waters °^ ISSN 0254-1475 COM(98) 144 final DOCUMENTS EN 03 02 14 10 Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-148-EN-C ISBN 92-78-31920-1 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg 9