Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

2. Closure of an area to protect juvenile plaice in ICES subarea 4

2.1. Vessels exceeding 8 m in overall length shall be prohibited from using any demersal trawl, beam trawl, Danish seine or similar towed gear within the geographical areas enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84:

(a)

the area within 12 nautical miles of the coasts of France, north of latitude 51°00′ N, Belgium, and the Netherlands up to latitude 53°00′ N, measured from the baselines;

(b)

the area bounded by a line joining the following coordinates:

• a point on the west coast of Denmark at latitude 57°00′ N

• 57°00′ N, 7°15′ E

• 55°00′ N, 7°15′ E

• 55°00′ N, 7°00′ E

• 54°30′ N, 7°00′ E

• 54°30′ N, 7°30′ E

• 54°00′ N, 7°30′ E

• 54°00′ N, 6°00′ E

• 53°50′ N, 6°00′ E

• 53°50′ N, 5°00′ E

• 53°30′ N, 5°00′ E

• 53°30′ N, 4°15′ E

• 53°00′ N, 4°15′ E

• a point on the coast of the Netherlands at latitude 53°00′ N

• the area within 12 nautical miles of the west coast of Denmark from 57°00′ N as far north as the Hirtshals Lighthouse, measured from the baselines.

2.2. The following vessels are permitted to fish in the area referred to in point 2.1:

(a)

vessels whose engine power does not exceed 221 kW using bottom trawls or Danish seines;

(b)

paired vessels whose combined engine power does not exceed 221 kW at any time using bottom pair trawls;

(c)

vessels whose engine power exceeds 221 kW shall be permitted to use bottom trawls or Danish seine, and paired vessels whose combined engine power exceeds 221 kW shall be permitted to use bottom pair trawls provided that such vessels do not engage in directed fishing for plaice and sole and comply with the relevant mesh size rules contained in Part B of this Annex.

2.3. When vessels referred to in point 2.2(a) use beam trawls, the beam length, or the aggregate length of combined beam trawls measured as the sum of the length of each beam, shall not be greater than or shall not be able to be extended to a length of greater than 9 m except when operating with gear having a mesh size between 16 and 31 mm. Fishing vessels whose primary activity is fishing for common shrimp (Crangon crangon) shall be permitted to use beam trawls of which the aggregate beam length, measured as the sum of the length of each beam, is greater than 9 m when operating with gear having a mesh size between 80 and 99 mm provided an additional fishing authorisation has been issued to these vessels.

2.4. Vessels permitted to fish in the area referred to in point 2.1 shall be included in a list to be provided to the Commission by each Member State. The total engine power of the vessels referred to in point 2.2(a) within the list shall not exceed the total engine power in evidence for each Member State at 1 January 1998. The permitted fishing vessels shall hold a fishing authorisation in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

(1)

For the purposes of this Annex:

• the Kattegat is limited in the north by a line drawn from Skagen Lighthouse to the lighthouse in Tistlarna, and from there to the nearest point on the Swedish coast, and in the south by a line drawn from Hasenøre Head to Gniben Point, from Korshage to Spodsbjerg, and from Gilbjerg Head to the Kullen,

• the Skagerrak is limited in the west by a line drawn from the lighthouse of Hanstholm to the lighthouse of Lindesnes, and in the south by a line drawn from Skagen Lighthouse to the lighthouse of Tistlarna, and from there to the nearest point on the Swedish coast,

• the North Sea shall comprise ICES sub-area 4, the adjacent part of ICES Division 2a lying south of latitude 64° N, and that part of ICES Division 3a which is not covered by the definition of Skagerrak given in the second indent.