•* a A COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 17.04.1996 
COM(96) 162 final 
Proposal for a 
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laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for fishery 
resources in the Convention Area as defined in the Convention on Future Multilateral 
Co-operation in the North-East Atlantic 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
During many years, the question of the regulation of oceanic-type redfish formed the subject 
matter of protracted discussions within the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission 
(NEAFC). At an Extraordinary Meeting from 19 to 21 March 1996, NEAFC was now able 
to adopt a recommendation of conservation and management measures for thai fish stock for 
1996. That recommendation was adopted by a qualified majority of the Contracting Parties 
of NEAFC, including the Community. 
The recommended measures consist in a total allowable catch (TAC) of 153,000 tonnes which 
covers oceanic-type redfish in its entire area of distribution and which is allocated among the 
Contracting Parties concerned. Within this TAC, a share of 23,000 tonnes has become 
available to the Community. Furthermore, Denmark (on behalf of the Faroe Islands and 
Greenland) committed itself to transfer to the Community a further 4,000 tonnes. This results 
in a total 27,000 tonnes of oceanic-type redfish available to the Community in 1996. 
As this recommendation has been adopted with the full support of the Community, the 
Commission now proposes its full implementing at Community level. 
In order to enhance the impact of the measures recommended by NEAFC and to ensure that 
Community fishing vessels can carry out their operations in economically appropriate 
conditions, it is also proposed to share out the Community share of oceanic-type redfish 
between the Member States concerned in application of the traditional "relative stability" 
criteria with an appropriate reference period of five years which reflects duly the twofold 
reality of the past catch records and the current fishing patterns. 
£ 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /96 
of 1996 
laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for fishery 
resources in the Convention Area as defined in the Convention on Future Multilateral 
Co-operation in the North-East Atlantic 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3760/92 of 20 December 1992 estbalishing 
a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture (,), and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas the Community has signed the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 
which contains principles and rules relating to the conservation and management of the living 
resources within the exclusive economic zones of the coastal States and on the high seas; 
Whereas the Convention on Multilateral Co-operation in the North-East Atlantic, hereafter 
referred to as the "NEAFC Convention", was approved by the Council in Decision 
81/608/EEC of 13 July 1981 (2) and entered into force on 17 March 1982; 
Whereas the NEAFC Convention establishes a suitable framework for multilateral co­
operation in the rational conservation and the optimum utilization of the fishery resources of 
the Convention Area as defined therein; 
Whereas the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission adopted on 21 March 1996 a 
recommendation limiting the catches of redfish in the Convention Area for 1996; whereas it 
is appropriate that this recommendation be implemented by the Community; 
Whereas, in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No. 3760/92, it falls to the 
Council to establish for each fishery or group of fisheries the total allowable catch (TAC) and 
the share available to the Community and to allocate the share available to the Community 
among the Member States; 
(1) O.J. No. L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1 
<2> O.J. No. L 227, 12.8.1981, p. 21 
Whereas the fishing activities covered by this Regulation are subject to the control measures 
provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2847/93 establishing a control system 
applicable to the common fisheries policy (3); 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
Catches in 1996 of redfish by Community fishing vessels shall be limited to the quotas set 
out in the Annex. 
All catches by Community fishing vessels of redfish prior to the adoption of this Regulation 
shall be counted against the quotas set out in the Annex. 
Article 2 
This regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official 
Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirely and directly applicable in all Member 
States. 
Done at Brussels, 1996 
For the Council 
The President 
(3) O.J. No. L261, 20.10.1993, p. 1 
U 
ANNEX 
Stock 
Species 
Redfish 
(Sebastes mentella, 
oceanic-type) (l) Geographical area 
ICES XIV/XII/V (2) Member State 
Austria 
Belgium 
Denmark 
Finland 
Germany 
Greece 
France 
Ireland 
Italy 
Luxembourg 
the Netherlands 
Portugal 
Spain 
Sweden 
the United Kingdom 
EC total 1996 quota 
21,422 
853 
5 
2,846 
1,874 
27,000 (3) 
(,) Fished with pelagic trawls, excluding discards but including the fish above as well as below the acoustic 
layer 
(2) 
(3) Community fishing waters and areas beyond fisheries jurisdiction of the other coastal States 
Includes a transfer of 4,000 tonnes from Denmark (on behalf of the Faroe Islands and Greenland) 
<T 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 162 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 11 03 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-175-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-02680-8 
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