(1)

Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) requires that conservation measures be adopted taking into account available scientific, technical and economic advice, including, where relevant, reports drawn up by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries and other advisory bodies, as well as in the light of any advice received from Advisory Councils established for the relevant geographical areas or fields of competence and joint recommendations made by Member States.

(2)

It is incumbent upon the Council to adopt measures on the fixing and allocation of fishing opportunities, including certain conditions functionally linked thereto, as appropriate. Fishing opportunities should be allocated to Member States in such a way as to ensure the relative stability of fishing activities of each Member State for each fish stock or fishery and having due regard to the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) set out in Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.

(3)

Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 provides that the objective of the CFP is to achieve the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) exploitation rate by 2015 where possible and, on a progressive, incremental basis at the latest by 2020 for all stocks.

(4)

The total allowable catches (TACs) should therefore be established, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, on the basis of the available scientific advice, taking into account biological and socioeconomic aspects whilst ensuring fair treatment between fishing sectors, as well as in having regard to the opinions expressed during the consultation with stakeholders.

(5)

Regulation (EU) 2016/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) establishes a multiannual plan for the stocks of cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea and for the fisheries exploiting those stocks (‘the plan’). The plan aims to ensure that exploitation of living marine biological resources restores and maintains populations of harvested species above levels which can produce the MSY. To that end, the target fishing mortality for the stocks concerned, expressed in ranges, is to be achieved as soon as possible and, on a progressive, incremental basis, by 2020. It is appropriate that the catch limits applicable in 2018 for the cod, herring and sprat stocks in the Baltic Sea are established with a view to achieving the objectives of the plan.

(6)

According to the plan, when scientific advice indicates that the spawning stock biomass of any of the stocks concerned is below the reference points of spawning stock biomass set out in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2016/1139, all appropriate remedial measures are to be adopted in order to ensure the rapid return of the stock concerned to levels above the level capable of producing the MSY. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has indicated the biomass of Western Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) and of Western Baltic herring (Clupea harengus) to be below the conservation reference points set out in Annex II to that Regulation. Consequently, it is appropriate that fishing opportunities for Western Baltic cod and for Western Baltic herring are set below the fishing mortality range in Annex I, column B to Regulation (EU) 2016/1139, at such a level that takes into account the decrease in the biomass. To that end, it is necessary to take into account the timeline for the achievement of the objectives of the CFP and of the plan, particularly in view of the expected effect of the remedial measures taken, whilst at the same time adhering with the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits as set out in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.

(7)

As regards the Western Baltic cod, further remedial measures should be taken. Maintaining the currently applicable eight-week closure period would continue to provide protection for spawning aggregations of cod. According to scientific advice, recreational fisheries for the Western Baltic cod contribute significantly to the overall fishing mortality of that stock. Taking into account the current status of that stock, it is appropriate to maintain certain currently applicable measures on recreational fisheries. A daily bag limit per fisherman should apply that should be more restrictive during the spawning period. That is without prejudice to the principle of relative stability applicable to commercial fishing activities.

(8)

As regards the Eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua), due to changes in its biology, the ICES has not been able to establish biological reference points. It is therefore appropriate, in order to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the plan, to fix the TAC for Eastern Baltic cod in accordance with the precautionary approach as established in Article 9(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013. Furthermore, an eight-week closure period should be introduced to provide protection for spawning aggregations of Eastern Baltic cod in subdivisions 25-26.

(9)

In addition, allowing vessels of less than 12 metres in length overall to fish in areas where the water depth is less than 20 metres would make it possible for a limited number of fishermen to continue their fishing operations and to target species other than cod. It is therefore proportionate to grant vessels of less than 12 metres in length overall the right to fish in areas where the water depth is less than 20 metres.

(10)

As regards the Gulf of Bothnia herring, the ICES conducted an evaluation of the stock using the latest data and the most up-to-date information and revised the fishing mortality ranges corresponding to MSY. While there is a discrepancy in fishing mortality ranges established in the scientific advice and in the plan, which was also based on the best scientific advice available at the time of its adoption, the plan is legally binding and in force and should therefore be followed for setting fishing opportunities for that stock. Given that the spawning stock biomass of that stock is above the biomass reference point set out in Annex II, column A to Regulation (EU) 2016/1139, it is appropriate to fix the TAC in accordance with the fishing mortality ranges set out in Annex I, column B to that Regulation in order to limit variations in fishing opportunities between consecutive years in accordance with point (c) of Article 4(4) of that Regulation. Furthermore, a TAC for that stock now covers subdivisions 30 and 31. As the plan does not define a range for subdivision 31, MSY approach is applied regarding that subdivision in accordance with scientific advice.

(11)

The use of the fishing opportunities set out in this Regulation is subject to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 (3), and in particular to Articles 33 and 34 thereof concerning the recording of catches and fishing effort, and to the transmission of data on the exhaustion of fishing opportunities to the Commission. This Regulation should therefore specify the codes relating to landings of stocks subject to this Regulation that are to be used by Member States when sending data to the Commission.

(12)

Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96 (4) introduced additional conditions for year-to-year management of TACs including, under Articles 3 and 4, flexibility provisions for precautionary and analytical TACs. Under Article 2 of that Regulation, when fixing the TACs, the Council is to decide to which stocks Article 3 or 4 is not to apply, in particular on the basis of the biological status of the stocks. More recently, the year-to-year flexibility mechanism was introduced by Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 for all stocks that are subject to the landingobligation. Therefore, in order to avoid excessive flexibility that would undermine the principle of rational and responsible exploitation of living marine biological resources, hinder the achievement of the objectives of the CFP and deteriorate the biological status of the stocks, Articles 3 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 should apply to analytical TACs only where the year-to-year flexibility provided for in Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 is not used.

(13)

Based on new scientific advice, a preliminary TAC for Norway pout in ICES area 3a and Union waters of ICES area 2a and subarea 4 should be established for the period from 1 November 2017 to 31 October 2018. Council Regulation (EU) 2017/127 (5) should therefore be amended accordingly.

(14)

In order to avoid the interruption of fishing activities and to ensure the livelihoods of Union fishermen, this Regulation should apply from 1 January 2018. However, this Regulation should apply to Norway pout from 1 November 2017. For reasons of urgency, this Regulation should enter into force immediately after its publication,