4.Restrictions on fishing for sprat to protect herring in ICES division 4bU.K.
Fishing with any towed gear with a codend mesh size of less than 32 mm or static nets less than 30 mm mesh size shall be prohibited within the geographical areas enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84, and during the following periods mentioned:
from 1 January to 31 March, and from 1 October to 31 December, within ICES statistical area 39E8. For the purpose of this Regulation, that ICES area shall be the area bounded by a line due east from the east coast of the United Kingdom along latitude 55°00′ N to a point at longitude 1°00′ W, from there due north to a point at latitude 55°30′ N and from there due west to the United Kingdom coast;
from 1 January to 31 March, and from 1 October to 31 December, within the inner waters of the Moray Firth west of longitude 3°30′ W, and in the inner waters of the Firth of Forth west of longitude 3°00′ W,
from 1 July to 31 October, within the geographical area bounded by the following coordinates:
the west coast of Denmark at latitude 55°30′ N
latitude 55°30′ N, longitude 7°00′ E
latitude 57°00′ N, longitude 7°00′ E
the west coast of Denmark at latitude 57°00′ N.
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.