EUR-Lex Access to European Union law
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Fishing opportunities in EU and non-EU waters
SUMMARY
Fishing needs to be carefully controlled to prevent stocks from collapsing and to ensure the industry remains economically viable. The EU is aiming to ensure sustainable long-term fishing yields where possible for all stocks by the end of 2015, and at the latest by 2020. This is known as the maximum sustainable yield (MSY)*. Each year, European governments determine the total amount of fish that can be caught.
WHAT DOES THE REGULATION DO?
It sets the total allowable catch (TAC) for each species that EU vessels can take from different fishing grounds, both inside and outside the EU.
KEY POINTS
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TACs are based on the best available scientific evidence. They reflect biological advice, the socio-economic needs of the fishing industry and the principle of ensuring sustainable exploitation of the various stocks in line with MSY.
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EU governments, on the basis of a European Commission proposal, set the TACs every year.
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Special multiannual plans apply to certain fish stocks, such as plaice and sole in the North Sea and sole in the Western Channel, to allow them to recover or to manage them in a long term perspective.
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The TACs specify how much fish certain EU vessels may catch in waters under the jurisdiction of the Faroes, Greenland, Iceland and Norway and the limits for catches by non-EU boats in EU waters.
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Each individual TAC is divided into quotas for the different EU countries fishing in those waters. Once the quota ceilings have been reached, no more fishing can take place that year.
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The annual legislation protects certain species, such as the basking shark, porbeagle or skate, which may not be caught either in all, or some specific, EU waters.
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EU governments may give extra fishing allowances to vessels which are involved in trials using close-circuit television cameras to record and fully document all their on-board fishing and processing activities.
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SINCE WHEN DOES THIS REGULATION APPLY?
As of 1 January 2015.
BACKGROUND
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KEY TERM
* Maximum sustainable yield (MSY): the largest yield (catch) that can be taken from the stock of a species over an indefinite period, i.e. without endangering its survival.
ACT
Council Regulation (EU) 2015/104 of 19 January 2015 fixing for 2015 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union vessels, in certain non-Union waters, amending Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 779/2014
REFERENCES
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Act |
Entry into force |
Deadline for transposition in the Member States |
Official Journal |
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Regulation (EU) 2015/104 |
1.1.2015 |
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Amending act(s) |
Entry into force |
Deadline for transposition in the Member States |
Official Journal |
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Regulation (EU) 2015/523 |
29.3.2015 |
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Regulation (EU) 2015/960 |
24.6.2015 |
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last update 02.10.2015