COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2020/1519

of 15 October 2020

establishing a fisheries closure for plaice in areas 7h, 7j and 7k for vessels flying the flag of Belgium

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Union control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy (1), and in particular Article 36(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)	Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 (2) lays down quotas for 2020.

(2)	According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock of plaice in areas 7h, 7j and 7k by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Belgium have exhausted the quota allocated for 2020.

(3)	It is therefore necessary to prohibit certain fishing activities for that stock.

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Quota exhaustion

The fishing quota allocated to Belgium for the stock of plaice in areas 7h, 7j and 7k for 2020 referred to in the Annex shall be deemed to be exhausted from the date set out in that Annex.

Article 2

Prohibitions

1. Fishing for the stock referred to in Article 1 by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Belgium shall be prohibited from the date set out in the Annex. In particular it shall be prohibited to search for fish, shoot, set or haul a fishing gear for the purpose of fishing that stock.

2. Transshipping, retaining on board, processing on board, transferring, caging, fattening and landing of fish and fishery products from that stock caught by those vessels shall remain authorised for catches taken prior to that date.

3. Unintended catches of species from that stock by those vessels shall be brought and retained on board the fishing vessels, recorded, landed and counted against quotas in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3).

Article 3

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 15 October 2020.

For the Commission,

On behalf of the President,

Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS

Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1.

(2) 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 (OJ L 25, 30.1.2020, p. 1).

(3) 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, p. 22).

ANNEX

No	19/TQ123
Member State	Belgium
Stock	PLE/7HJK.
Species	Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
Zone	7h, 7j and 7k
Closing date	25.9.2020