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Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123Show full title

Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 of 27 January 2020 fixing for 2020 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters

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CHAPTER IU.K.General provisions

F1Article 5U.K.TACs and allocations

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F1Article 6U.K.TACs to be determined by Member States

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F1Article 7U.K.Conditions for landing catches and by-catches

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F1Article 8U.K.Quota-exchange mechanism for TACs for unavoidable by-catches with regard to the landing obligation

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F1Article 9U.K.Fishing effort limits in ICES division 7e

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Article 10U.K.Measures on European seabass fisheries

1.[F2Until the end of 2021 it is] prohibited for [F3United Kingdom] fishing vessels, as well as for any commercial fisheries from shore, to fish for European seabass in ICES divisions 4b and 4c, and in ICES subarea 7. [F4During that period it is] prohibited to retain, tranship, relocate or land European seabass caught in that area.

2.By way of derogation from paragraph 1, [F5until the end of January 2021] and from [F61st April to the end of December 2021], [F7United Kingdom] fishing vessels in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 7d, 7e, 7f and 7h and in waters within 12 nautical miles from baselines under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom in ICES divisions 7a and 7g may fish for European seabass, and retain, tranship, relocate or land European seabass caught in that area with the following gear and within the following limits:

(a)using demersal trawls(1), for unavoidable by-catches not exceeding 520 kilogrammes per two months and 5 % of the weight of the total catches of marine organisms on board caught by that vessel per fishing trip;

(b)using seines(2), for unavoidable by-catches not exceeding 520 kilogrammes per two months and 5 % of the weight of the total catches of marine organisms on board caught by that vessel per fishing trip;

(c)using hooks and lines(3), not exceeding 5,7 tonnes per vessel per year;

(d)using fixed gillnets(4), for unavoidable by-catches not exceeding 1,4 tonnes per vessel per year.

The derogations set out in the first subparagraph F8... apply to [F7United Kingdom] fishing vessels that have recorded catches of European seabass over the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2016: in point (c) with recorded catches using hooks and lines, and in point (d) with recorded catches using fixed gillnets. In the case of a replacement of a [F7United Kingdom] fishing vessel, [F9a fisheries administration] may allow the derogation to apply to another fishing vessel provided that the number of [F7United Kingdom] fishing vessels subject to the derogation and their overall fishing capacity do not increase.

3.The catch limits set out in paragraph 2 [F10are not] transferable between vessels and, where a monthly limit applies, from one month to another. For [F11United Kingdom] fishing vessels using more than one gear in a single calendar month, the lowest catch limit set out in paragraph 2 for either gear shall apply.

F12...

F134.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5.In recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a, [F147a and 7d to 7j]:

(a)[F15until the end of February 2021] and [F16for the whole of December 2021], only catch-and-release fishing with a rod or a handline for European seabass [F17is permitted]. During those periods, it [F18is] prohibited to retain, relocate, tranship or land European seabass caught in that area;

(b)from [F191st March to the end of November 2021], not more than two specimens of European seabass may be caught and retained per fisherman per day; the minimum size of European seabass [F20which may be retained is] 42 cm.

Point (b) of the first subparagraph [F21does] not apply to fixed nets, which may not be used to catch or retain European seabass during the period referred to in that point.

F226.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F237.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

[F24Article 11U.K.Measures on European eel fisheries in United Kingdom waters

Any targeted, incidental and recreational fishery of European eel is prohibited in United Kingdom waters and brackish waters such as estuaries, coastal lagoons and transitional waters until the end of February 2021.]

F25Article 12U.K.Special provisions on allocations of fishing opportunities

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[F26Article 12aU.K. Closed fishing seasons for sandeels

Commercial fishing for sandeels with demersal trawl, seine or similar towed gears with a mesh size of less than 16 mm [F27is] prohibited in ICES [F28division 2a] and ICES subarea 4 F29... from 1 January to [F30the end of March] 2021.]

Article 13U.K.Remedial measures for cod and whiting in the Celtic Sea

1.The following measures shall apply to [F31United Kingdom fishing] vessels fishing with bottom trawls and seines in ICES divisions from 7f, 7g, the part of 7h North of latitude 49° 30' North and the part of 7j North of latitude 49° 30' North and East of longitude 11° West:

(a)[F31United Kingdom fishing] vessels fishing with bottom trawls whose catches consist of at least 20 % of haddock shall be prohibited from fishing in the area referred to in paragraph 1 unless they use gear with one of the following mesh sizes:

  • (a)110 mm cod-end with 120 mm square-mesh panel,

  • 100 mm T90 cod-end,

  • 120 mm cod-end,

  • [F32100 mm with 160 mm square-mesh panel;]

(b)As from 1 June 2020, in addition to measures referred to in point (a), [F31United Kingdom fishing] vessels shall use: (i) a fishing gear that is constructed with a minimum of one meter spacing between the fishing line and ground gear, or (ii) any means proven to be at least equally selective for avoidance of cod, according to the assessment by ICES or [F33a similar independent scientific body recognised at international level];

(c)[F31United Kingdom fishing] vessels fishing with bottom seines whose catches consist of at least 20 % of haddock shall be prohibited from fishing in the area referred to in paragraph 1 unless they use gear with one of the following mesh sizes:

  • (c)110 mm cod-end with 120 mm square-mesh panel,

  • 100 mm T90 cod-end,

  • 120 mm cod-end.

2.Except vessels falling within the scope of Article 9(2) of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) [F342019/2239], [F31United Kingdom fishing] vessels fishing with bottom trawls and seines in ICES divisions from 7f to [F357j] and in the area west of 5° W longitude in ICES division 7e, or [F31United Kingdom fishing] vessels fishing with bottom trawls in the area of paragraph 1 whose catches consist of less than 20 % of haddock, shall be prohibited from fishing unless they use a minimum cod-end mesh size of at least 100 mm. This minimum cod-end mesh size requirement does not apply to vessels whose by-catches of cod do not exceed 1,5 %, as assessed by [F36an independent scientific body recognised at international level].

3.According to Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 and Article 27(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, the catch percentages shall be calculated as the proportion by live weight of all marine biological resources landed after each fishing trip.

4.[F31United Kingdom fishing] vessels may deploy an alternative highly selective gear to those listed in points (a) and (b) of paragraph 1, the technical attributes of which result, according to a scientific study assessed by [F37an independent scientific body recognised at international level], in catches of less than 1 % of cod.

[F32Article 14U.K. Remedial measures for cod in the North Sea

1.The closed areas to fishing, except with pelagic gear (purse seines and trawls), and the periods during which the closures apply are set out in Annex IV.

F382.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F383.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F384.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

F39Article 15U.K.Remedial measures for cod in Kattegat

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Article 16U.K.Prohibited species

1.It shall be prohibited for [F40United Kingdom] fishing vessels to fish for, to retain on board, to tranship or to land the following species:

(a)starry ray (Amblyraja radiata) in [F41United Kingdom] waters of ICES divisions 2a, 3a and 7d and ICES subarea 4;

(b)leafscale gulper shark (Centrophorus squamosus) in [F42United Kingdom] waters of ICES division 2a and subarea 4 and in F43... international waters of ICES subareas 1 and 14;

(c)Portuguese dogfish (Centroscymnus coelolepis) in [F44United Kingdom] waters of ICES division 2a and subarea 4 and in F45... international waters of ICES subareas 1 and 14;

(d)kitefin shark (Dalatias licha) in [F46United Kingdom] waters of ICES division 2a and subarea 4 and in F47... international waters of ICES subareas 1 and 14;

(e)birdbeak dogfish (Deania calcea) in [F48United Kingdom] waters of ICES division 2a and subarea 4 and in F49... international waters of ICES subareas 1 and 14;

(f)common skate (Dipturus batis) complex (Dipturus cf. flossada and Dipturus cf. intermedia) in [F50United Kingdom] waters of ICES division 2a and ICES subareas [F514, 6, 7 and 8];

(g)great lanternshark (Etmopterus princeps) in [F52United Kingdom] waters of ICES division 2a and subarea 4 and in F53... international waters of ICES subareas 1 and 14;

(h)tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) when taken with longlines in [F54United Kingdom] waters of ICES division 2a and subarea 4 and in [F54United Kingdom] and international waters of ICES subareas 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12 and 14;

(i)porbeagle (Lamna nasus) in all waters;

F55(j). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(k)undulate ray (Raja undulata) in [F56United Kingdom] waters of ICES [F57subarea 6];

(l)whale shark (Rhincodon typus) in all waters;

F58(m). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(n)picked dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in [F59United Kingdom] waters of ICES [F60subareas 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8][F32;]

[F26(o)splendid alfonsino ( Beryx splendens ) in NAFO subarea 6.]

2.When accidentally caught, species referred to in paragraph 1 shall not be harmed. Specimens shall be promptly released.

Textual Amendments

F61Article 17U.K.Data transmission

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(1)

All types of demersal trawls (OTB, OTT, PTB, TBB, TBN, TBS and TB).

(2)

All types of seines (SSC, SDN, SPR, SV, SB and SX).

(3)

All long lines or pole and line or rod and line fisheries (LHP, LHM, LLD, LL, LTL, LX and LLS).

(4)

All fixed gillnets and traps (GTR, GNS, GNC, FYK, FPN and FIX).

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