Council Regulation (EU) 2015/104Show full title

Council Regulation (EU) 2015/104 of 19 January 2015 fixing for 2015 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union vessels, in certain non-Union waters, amending Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 779/2014

Article 32Purse-seine fisheries

1.The fishing by purse-seine vessels for yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) shall be prohibited:

(a)from 29 July to 28 September 2015 or from 18 November 2015 to 18 January 2016 in the area defined by the following limits:

  • (a)the Pacific coastlines of the Americas,

  • longitude 150° W,

  • latitude 40° N,

  • latitude 40° S;

(b)from 29 September to 29 October 2015 in the area defined by the following limits:

  • (b)longitude 96° W,

  • longitude 110° W,

  • latitude 4° N,

  • latitude 3° S.

2.The Member States concerned shall notify the Commission of the selected period of closure referred to in paragraph 1 before 1 April 2015. All the purse-seine vessels of the Member States concerned shall stop purse-seine fishing in the areas defined in paragraph 1 during the selected period.

3.Purse-seine vessels fishing for tuna in the IATTC Convention Area shall retain on board and then land or tranship all yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack tuna caught.

4.Paragraph 3 shall not apply in the following cases:

(a)where the fish is considered unfit for human consumption for reasons other than size; or

(b)during the final set of a trip when there may be insufficient well space remaining to accommodate all the tuna caught in that set.