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Summaries of EU Legislation

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Conservation of fisheries resources and protection of marine ecosystems

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 — the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

  • It sets out rules on how, where, when, which and how many fish can be caught in EU waters in order to conserve the species and protect marine ecosystems.
  • It repeals Regulation (EC) No 812/2004, 894/97, 850/98, 2549/2000, 254/2002 and 2187/2005.

KEY POINTS

Objectives

In line with the reformed EU Common Fisheries Policy, the rules are designed to:

  • ensure fishing levels correspond to the maximum sustainable yield*, to reduce unwanted catches and eliminate discards, and also to contribute to the achievement of good environmental status;
  • contribute to the protection of juveniles and spawning aggregations of marine species through the use of selective fishing gear and measures for the avoidance of unwanted catches;
  • minimise the impacts of fishing gear on marine ecosystems and in particular on sensitive species and habitats, including where appropriate by using incentives and other measures.

Main features

The regulation includes a number of important features such as:

  • simplifying the procedure for regional cooperation with the aim of creating regionalised rules for different fishing zones;
  • banning or restricting certain types of fishing methods including the phasing out of electric pulse fishing;
  • banning or restricting certain types of fishing gear, including mesh sizes;
  • setting out a list of banned species;
  • establishing a result-based approach. With the introduction of selectivity performance indicators*, the aim is to provide a quantified benchmark to be able to measure the effectiveness of technical measures;
  • introducing closed areas and closed seasons for fishing.

Scientific research

In order not to hinder scientific research or direct restocking and transplantation, the rules do not apply to operations conducted for these purposes.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 14 August 2019.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

KEY TERMS

Maximum sustainable yield: maximum level at which fish stocks can be routinely exploited without long-term depletion.
Selectivity performance indicator: reference tool to monitor the progress over time towards the achievement of the Common Fisheries Policy objective of minimising unwanted catches.

MAIN DOCUMENT

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 (OJ L 198, 25.7.2019, pp. 105-201)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) 2019/1022 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 establishing a multiannual plan for the fisheries exploiting demersal stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea and amending Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 (OJ L 172, 26.6.2019, pp. 1-17)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EU) 2019/472 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 establishing a multiannual plan for stocks fished in the Western Waters and adjacent waters, and for fisheries exploiting those stocks, amending Regulations (EU) 2016/1139 and (EU) 2018/973, and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007 and (EC) No 1300/2008 (OJ L 83, 25.3.2019, pp. 1-17)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EU) 2018/973 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 establishing a multiannual plan for demersal stocks in the North Sea and the fisheries exploiting those stocks, specifying details of the implementation of the landing obligation in the North Sea and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 676/2007 and (EC) No 1342/2008 (OJ L 179, 16.7.2018, pp. 1-13)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EU) 2016/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2016 establishing a multiannual plan for the stocks of cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea and the fisheries exploiting those stocks, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1098/2007 (OJ L 191, 15.7.2016, pp. 1-15)

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, pp. 22-61)

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006 (OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, pp. 1-50)

See consolidated version.

Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) (OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, pp. 19-40)

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea, amending Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1626/94 (OJ L 409, 30.12.2006, pp. 11-85). Text republished in corrigendum (OJ L 36, 8.2.2007, pp. 6-30)

See consolidated version.

last update 19.10.2022

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