Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006, (EC) No 1224/2009 and Regulations (EU) No 1380/2013, (EU) 2016/1139, (EU) 2018/973, (EU) 2019/472 and (EU) 2019/1022 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 894/97, (EC) No 850/98, (EC) No 2549/2000, (EC) No 254/2002, (EC) No 812/2004 and (EC) No 2187/2005 (c. 1241)

ANNEX VI U.K. NORTH WESTERN WATERS

PART C U.K. Closed or restricted areas

1. Closed area for the conservation of cod in ICES division 6a U.K.

From 1 January to 31 March, and from 1 October to 31 December, each year, it shall be prohibited to conduct any fishing activity using any towed gear or static nets in the area enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 coordinate system:

• 55°25′ N, 7°07′ W

• 55°25′ N, 7°00′ W

• 55°18′ N, 6°50′ W

• 55°17′ N, 6°50′ W

• 55°17′ N, 6°52′ W

• 55°25′ N, 7°07 W.

2. Closed area for the conservation of cod in ICES divisions 7f and 7g U.K.

2.1. From 1 February to 31 March each year, it shall be prohibited to conduct any fishing activity in the following ICES statistical rectangles: 30E4, 31E4, 32E3. This prohibition shall not apply within 6 nautical miles from the baseline. U.K.

2.2. It shall be permitted to conduct fishing activities using pots and creels within the specified areas and time periods, provided that: U.K.

(i)

no fishing gear other than pots and creels are carried on board; and

(ii)

by-catches of a species subject to the landing obligation are landed and counted against quotas.

2.3. Directed fishing for small pelagic species with towed gear with a mesh size less than 55 mm shall be permitted, provided that: U.K.

(i)

no net of mesh size greater than or equal to 55 mm is carried on board; and

(ii)

by-catches of a species subject to the landing obligation are landed and counted against quotas.

3. Closed area for the conservation of cod in ICES division 7a U.K.

3.1. In the period from 14 February to 30 April each year it shall be prohibited to use any dermersal trawl, seine or similar towed net, any gillnet, entangling net or trammel net or any fishing gear incorporating hooks within that part of ICES division 7a enclosed by the east coast of Ireland and the east coast of Northern Ireland and straight lines sequentially joining the following geographical coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 coordinate system: U.K.

• a point on the east coast of the Ards peninsula in Northern Ireland at 54°30′ N

• 54°30′ N, 04°50′ W

• 53°15′ N, 04°50′ W

• a point on the east coast of Ireland at 53°15′ N.

3.2. By way of derogation from point 1, within the area and time period referred to therein the use of demersal trawls shall be permitted provided such trawls are fitted with selective devices that have been assessed by STECF. U.K.

4. Rockall haddock box in ICES sub-area 6 U.K.

All fishing, except with longlines, shall be prohibited in the areas enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 system:

• 57°00′ N, 15°00′ W

• 57°00′ N, 14°00′ W

• 56°30′ N, 14°00′ W

• 56°30′ N, 15°00′ W

• 57°00′ N, 15°00′ W.

5. Closed area for the conservation of Norway lobster in ICES divisions 7c and 7k U.K.

5.1. Directed fishing for Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) and associated species (namely, cod, megrims, anglerfish, haddock, whiting, hake, plaice, pollack, saithe, skates and rays, common sole, tusk, blue ling, ling and spurdog) shall be prohibited from 1 May to 31 May each year within the geographical area enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 coordinate system: U.K.

• 52°27′ N, 12°19′ W

• 52°40′ N, 12°30′ W

• 52°47′ N, 12°39,60′ W

• 52°47′ N, 12°56′ W

• 52°13,5′ N, 13°53,83′ W

• 51°22′ N, 14°24′ W

• 51°22′ N, 14°03′ W

• 52°10′ N, 13°25′ W

• 52°32′ N, 13°07,50′ W

• 52°43′ N, 12°55′ W

• 52°43′ N, 12°43′ W

• 52°38,80′ N, 12°37′ W

• 52°27′ N, 12°23′ W

• 52°27′ N, 12°19′ W.

5.2. Transit through the Porcupine Bank while carrying on board the species referred to in point 5.1 shall be permitted in accordance with Article 50(3), (4) and (5) of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009. U.K.

6. Special rules for the protection of blue ling in ICES division 6a U.K.

6.1. From 1 March to 31 May each year directed fishing for blue ling shall be prohibited in the areas of ICES division 6a enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 system: U.K.

Edge of Scottish continental shelf

• 59°58′ N, 07°00′ W

• 59°55′ N, 06°47′ W

• 59°51′ N, 06°28′ W

• 59°45′ N, 06°38′ W

• 59°27′ N, 06°42′ W

• 59°22′ N, 06°47′ W

• 59°15′ N, 07°15′ W

• 59°07′ N, 07°31′ W

• 58°52′ N, 07°44′ W

• 58°44′ N, 08°11′ W

• 58°43′ N, 08°27′ W

• 58°28′ N, 09°16′ W

• 58°15′ N, 09°32′ W

• 58°15′ N, 09°45′ W

• 58°30′ N, 09°45′ W

• 59°30′ N, 07°00′ W

• 59°58′ N, 07°00′ W

Edge of Rosemary bank

• 60°00′ N, 11°00′ W

• 59°00′ N, 11°00′ W

• 59°00′ N, 09°00′ W

• 59°30′ N, 09°00′ W

• 59°30′ N, 10°00′ W

• 60°00′ N, 10°00′ W

• 60°00′ N, 11°00′ W

Not including the area enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 system:

• 59°15′ N, 10°24′ W

• 59°10′ N, 10°22′ W

• 59°08′ N, 10°07′ W

• 59°11′ N, 09°59′ W

• 59°15′ N, 09°58′ W

• 59°22′ N, 10°02′ W

• 59°23′ N, 10°11′ W

• 59°20′ N, 10°19′ W

• 59°15′ N, 10°24′ W.

6.2. A by-catch of blue ling up to a threshold of 6 tonnes may be retained on board and landed. Once a vessel reaches this six-tonne threshold of blue ling: U.K.

(a)

it shall immediately cease fishing and exit the area in which it is present;

(b)

it may not re-enter either of the areas until its catch has been landed;

(c)

it may not return to the sea any quantity of blue ling.

6.3. From 15 February to 15 April each year, it shall be prohibited to use bottom trawls, longlines and static nets within an area enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 system: U.K.

• 60°58.76′ N, 27°27.32′ W

• 60°56.02′ N, 27°31.16′ W

• 60°59.76′ N, 27°43.48′ W

• 61°03.00′ N, 27°39.41′ W

• 60°58.76′ N, 27°27.32′ W.

7. Restrictions on fishing for mackerel in ICES divisions 7e, 7f, 7g and 7h U.K.

7.1. Directed fishing for mackerel with towed gear with a codend mesh size of less than 80 mm or with purse seines shall be prohibited, except where the weight of the mackerel does not exceed 15 % by live weight of the total quantities of mackerel and other marine organisms on board which have been caught, within the area enclosed by sequentially joining with rhumb lines the following coordinates, which shall be measured according to the WGS84 system: U.K.

• a point on the south coast of the United Kingdom at 02°00′ W

• 49° 30′ N, 2° 00′ W

• 49° 30′ N, 7° 00′ W

• 52° 00′ N, 7° 00′ W

• a point on the west coast of the United Kingdom at 52° 00′ N.

7.2. It shall be permitted to fish within the area defined in point 7.1 with: U.K.

• static nets and/or hand lines;

• demersal trawls, Danish seines or other similar towed nets, with a mesh size greater than 80 mm.

7.3. Vessels which are not equipped for fishing and to which mackerel are being transhipped shall be permitted within the area defined in point 7.1. U.K.

8. Restrictions on the use of beam trawls within 12 nautical miles of the coast of the United Kingdom and Ireland U.K.

8.1. The use of any beam trawl of mesh size less than 100 mm shall be prohibited in ICES division 5b and ICES sub-area 6 north of latitude 56°N. U.K.

8.2. Vessels shall be prohibited from using any beam trawl inside the areas within 12 nautical miles of the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland, measured from the baselines from which the territorial waters are measured. U.K.

8.3. Fishing with beam trawls within the specified area shall be permitted provided that: U.K.

• The engine power of the vessels does not exceed 221 Kw and their length does not exceed 24 m; and

• The beam length or aggregated beam length, measured as the sum of each beam, is no more than 9 m, or cannot be extended to a length greater than 9 m, except when directed fishing for common shrimp (Crangon crangon) with a codend mesh size of less than 31 mm.

9. Use of static nets in ICES divisions 5b, 6a, 6b, 7b, 7c, 7h, 7j and 7k U.K.

9.1. In accordance with point (a) of Article 9(7) and by way of derogation from Part B, Point 2 of this Annex, it shall be permitted to use the following gear in waters with a charted depth of less than 600 m: U.K.

• Bottom set gillnets used for directed fishing for hake with a mesh size of at least 100 mm and no more than 100 meshes deep, where the total length of all nets deployed does not exceed 25 km per vessel and the maximum soak time is 24 hours.

• Entangling nets used for directed fishing for anglerfish with a mesh size of at least 250 mm and no more than 15 meshes deep, where the total length of all nets deployed does not exceed 100 km and the maximum soak time is 72 hours.

9.2. Directed fishing for deepwater sharks as listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2016/2336 in charted depths of less than 600 m shall be prohibited. When accidentally caught, deepwater sharks classified as prohibited in this Regulation and other Union legislation shall be recorded, unharmed to the extent possible, and shall be promptly released. Deepwater sharks subject to catch limits shall be retained on board. Such catches shall be landed and counted against quotas. In situations where quota is not or not sufficiently available to the Member State concerned, the Commission may resort to Article 105(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009. Where accidental catches of deepwater sharks by the vessels of any Member State exceed 10 tonnes then those vessels may no longer avail of the derogations set out in point 9.1. U.K.