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Fisheries and aquaculture measures in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) area
Fisheries and aquaculture measures in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) area
Fisheries and aquaculture measures in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) area
This summary has been archived and will not be updated. See
'Fishery and aquaculture products in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) area'
for an updated information about the subject.
Fisheries and aquaculture measures in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) area
SUMMARY OF:
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?
KEY POINTS
Fisheries restricted areas
Fisheries restricted areas are in place to protect essential fish habitats, vulnerable marine ecosystems and deep-sea sensitive habitats.
Fishing with towed dredges and bottom trawl nets are prohibited in the following deep-sea fisheries restricted areas:
Fishing with bottom trawl nets are prohibited in the following restrictive areas in the Strait of Sicily:
Additional restrictions
Fishing gear restrictions
The regulation outlines restrictions on:
Conservation and sustainable exploitation of red coral
The regulation outlines rules and restrictions including:
Incidental catches
In the case of incidental catches, the following species have to be released unharmed and alive, as far as possible:
Any incidental catch must be recorded in an on-board logbook, with information on the circumstances, including gear type.
Management of small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic Sea
The reference fishing capacity for small pelagic stocks is established on the basis of the number of vessels officially listed by the EU countries concerned. National authorities must ensure that the overall fleet capacity does not at any time exceed this reference fishing capacity.
Register of authorised vessels
Before 1 December of each year, each EU country must supply a list of the vessels of more than 15 metres in length flying its flag and registered in its territory that it authorises to fish in the GFCM Agreement area.
Fishing authorisations
Lists of operating vessels with fishing authorisations must be communicated as regards: blackspot seabream in the Alboran Sea, demersal stocks in the Strait of Sicily, turbot in the Black Sea, red coral, dolphinfish, fishing in the Jabuka/Pomo Pit area.
Inspections in the Strait of Sicily
The regulation introduces an international joint inspection and surveillance scheme in international waters in the Strait of Sicily and details the procedures to follow for the conduct of inspections and the detection of infringements.
Non-EU vessels
EU countries can deny non-EU vessels access to port services, including refuelling and resupplying services, if the vessel does not comply with this regulation or is unauthorised.
Cooperation and information
The European Commission and EU countries must share information with the Executive Secretary of the GFCM, in particular by using relevant databases and requesting cooperation and cooperating to promote the effective implementation of the regulation.
FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?
The original regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 has applied since 19 January 2012.
Amending rules have applied since 28 November 2015 (Regulation (EU) 2015/2102 concerning the sustainable exploitation of red coral and mitigating incidental catches of seabirds, turtles, monk seals and cetaceans) and 10 July 2019 (Regulation (EU) 2019/982 minimising incidental catches of certain sensitive marine species and negative environmental impacts of fishing on marine habitats).
BACKGROUND
See also:
MAIN DOCUMENT
Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea (OJ L 347, 30.12.2011, pp. 44-61)
Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
Regulation (EU) 2019/982 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 amending Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area (OJ L 164, 20.6.2019, pp. 1-22)
Regulation (EU) 2015/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 October 2015 amending Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area (OJ L 308, 25.11.2015, pp. 1-10)
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 22.10.2019