This Regulation establishes a de minimis exemption from the landing obligation for species subject to minimum sizes caught in small pelagic fisheries using pelagic mid-water trawl and/or purse seins in the Mediterranean Sea (fisheries for anchovy, sardine, mackerel and horse mackerel).

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

1. (a)

   ‘species subject to a minimum size’ means any species listed in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006;

2. (b)

   ‘Mediterranean Sea’ means maritime waters of the Mediterranean to the east of line 5°36′ West;

3. (c)

   ‘GFCM Geographical Sub-Area’ means General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) Geographical Sub-Area as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council4;

4. (d)

   ‘Western Mediterranean Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.1, 11.2 and 12;

5. (e)

   ‘South Eastern Mediterranean Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 25;

6. (f)

   ‘Adriatic Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 17 and 18;

7. (g)

   ‘Southern Adriatic and Ionian Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 18, 19 and 20;

8. (h)

   ‘Malta Island and South of Sicily’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 15 and 16;

9. (i)

   ‘Aegean Sea and Crete Island’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 22 and 23.

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 2018.

It shall apply until 31 December 2020.