(1)

Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 lays down specific provisions regarding technical measures at regional level for Union waters in the North Western Waters.

(2)

That Regulation was amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2324 (2) as regards remedial measures to reduce by-catch of cod and whiting in the Celtic Sea and additional selectivity measures aiming to reduce gadoid by-catches in the Irish Sea. The measures concerned, aiming to help achieving the objectives of conservation measures, the multiannual plans and the discard plan in the North Western Waters, were subsequently updated and prolonged three times, by Commission Delegated Regulations (EU) 2022/2588 (3), (EU) 2024/492 (4) and (EU) 2025/283 (5) respectively.

(3)

Those measures, introduced in Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/283, expire on 31 December 2025.

(4)

By a joint recommendation submitted on 2 June 2025, the North Western Waters Member States Regional Group (Belgium, Spain, France, Ireland and the Netherlands) requests the prolongation of those measures until 31 December 2026.

(5)

As the remedial measures for stocks with biomass at levels below Blim provided for by Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/472 remain necessary to ensure rapid return of the stock or functional unit concerned to levels above those capable of producing MSY, in view of the concerning state of the fish stocks in the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea and ongoing discussions between the Union and the UK on technical measures relating to fish stocks caught in mixed fisheries in the Celtic Sea, those remedial measures should be prolonged until 31 December 2026, in order to continue optimising exploitation patterns, increase gear selectivity and reduce unwanted catches.

(6)

The Expert Group on Fisheries and Aquaculture was consulted on 8 July 2025.

(7)

As the measures provided for in this Regulation have a direct impact on the planning of the fishing-season of Union vessels and on related economic activities, this Regulation should enter into force on the day following that of its publication. Since the measures to be prolonged expire on 31 December 2025, this Regulation should apply with effect from 1 January 2026 in order to ensure legal continuity.

(8)

The measures introduced by this Regulation applicable to Union waters are in pursuit of the objectives set out in Article 494(1) and (2) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (6) and have regard to the principles referred to in Article 494(3) of that agreement. They are without prejudice to any measures applicable in waters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

(9)

Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 should therefore be amended accordingly,