COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 12.12.1996 
COM(96) 665 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
laying down for 1997 certain measures for the conservation and management 
of fishery resources applicable to vessels flying the flag of Latvia 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
In conformity with the new framework Agreement on Fisheries Relations between the 
European Community and the Republic of Latvia, concluded on , 
consultations were held between the Community and Latvia in Brussels from 7 to 8 November 
1996, resulting in an agreement on a reciprocal fisheries arrangement for 1997, covering the 
fishing rights of each party in the zone of the other. 
Taking into account that the annual consultations occurred prior to the ratification of the 
Agreement on Fisheries Relations being terminated, the fisheries arrangement agreed for 1997 
will only be implemented from the date of its entry into force. 
The purpose of this proposal for a regulation is to authorise Latvian vessels to fish the quotas 
allocated to them for 1997 in waters of the Community, in accordance with the above 
mentioned reciprocal arrangement. 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No /96 
of.... December 1996 
laying down for 1997 certain measures for the conservation and management 
of fishery resources applicable to vessels flying the flag of Latvia 
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 establishing 
a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture(,), as amended by the Act of Accession of 
Austria, Finland and Sweden, and in particular Article 8 (4) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas, in accordance with the procedure provided for in the Agreement on Fisheries 
Relations between the European Community and the Republic of Latvia(2), concluded on .... 
,...., and in particular Articles 3 and 6 thereof, the Community and Latvia have 
held consultations concerning their mutual fishing rights for 1997 and the management of 
common living resources; 
Whereas, in the course of these consultations, the delegations agreed to recommend to their 
respective authorities that certain catch quotas for 1997 should be fixed for the vessels of the 
other Party; 
Whereas the necessary measures should be taken to implement, for 1997, the results of the 
consultations held with Latvia; 
Whereas it is for the Council to lay down the specific conditions under which catches by 
vessels flying the flag of Latvia can be taken; 
Whereas the fishing activities covered by this Regulation are subject to the control measures 
provided for by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a 
control system applicable to the common fisheries policy(3); 
Whereas Article 3 (2) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1381/87 of 20 May 1987 
establishing detailed rules concerning the marking and documentation of fishing vessels(4) 
provides that all vessels with chilled or refrigerated sea-water tanks are to keep on board a 
document, certified by a competent authority, indicating the calibration of the tanks in cubic 
metres at 10-centimetre intervals, 
(i) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) OJNoL389, 31.12.1992, p. 1. 
OJ No C 276, 21.9.1996, p. 8. 
OJ No L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1. 
OJNoL 132, 21.5.1987, p. 9. 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article J 
1. From 1 January to 31 December 1997, vessels flying the flag of Latvia are hereby 
authorised to fish for the species listed in Annex I, within the geographical and quantitative 
limits laid down therein and in accordance with this Regulation, in the 200-nautical-mile 
fishing zone of the Member States in the Baltic Sea. Fishing for cod shall be prohibited in the 
Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound from 10 June to 20 August 1997 inclusive. 
2. Fishing authorised under paragraph 1 shall be limited to those parts of the 200-nautical-
mile fishing zone lying seawards of 12-nautical-miles from the baselines from which the 
fishing zones of Member States are measured and south of 59*30' North. 
3. Notwithstanding paragraph 1, unavoidable by-catches of a species for which no quota 
is established in a zone shall be permitted within the limits fixed in the conservation measures 
in force in the zone concerned. 
4. By-catches in a given zone of a species for which a quota is established in that zone 
shall be counted against the quota concerned. 
Article 2 
1. Vessels fishing within the quotas fixed in Article 1 shall comply with the conservation 
and control measures and all other provisions governing fishing in the zone referred to in that 
Article. 
2. The vessels shall keep a log-book in which the information set out in Annex II shall 
be entered. 
3. The vessels shall transmit to the Commission, in accordance with the rules laid down 
in Annex III, the information set out in that Annex. 
4. Those vessels which have chilled or refrigerated sea-water tanks shall keep on board 
a document, certified by a competent authority, indicating the calibration of the tanks in cubic 
metres at 10-centimetre intervals. 
5. The registration letters and numbers of vessels must be clearly marked on the bow of 
each vessel on both sides. 
Article 3 
1. Fishing under the quotas fixed in Article 1 shall be permitted only where a licence and 
a special fishing permit has been issued by the Commission, on behalf of the Community, at 
the request of the Latvian authorities and in compliance with the conditions set out in Annexes 
II and III. Copies of these Annexes and the licence and the special fishing permit shall be kept 
on board of each vessel. 
t 
The vessels to be licensed for fishing in the Community zone during a given month will be 
notified at the latest by the tenth day of the preceding month. The Community shall 
expeditiously process requests for adjustments to a monthly list during its duration. 
2. When an application for a licence and a special fishing permit is submitted to the 
Commission, the following information must be supplied: 
(a) name of vessel; 
(b) registration number; 
(c) external identification letters and numbers; 
(d) port of registration; 
(e) name and address of the owner or charterer; 
(f) gross tonnage and overall length; 
(g) engine power; 
(h) call sign and radio frequency; 
(i) intended method of fishing; 
(j) intended area of fishing; 
(k) species for which it is intended to fish; 
(1) period for which a licence is requested. 
3. Licences and special fishing permits shall be issued provided that the number of 
licences valid at any time during a given month or year does not exceed the amount mentioned 
in Annex I. 
4. Only fishing vessels under 43 metres are authorised to fish. 
5. Each licence and special fishing permit shall be valid for one vessel only. Where two 
or more vessels are taking part in the same fishing operation, each vessel must be in 
possession of a licence and special fishing permit. 
6. Licences and special fishing permits may be cancelled with a view to the issuing of 
new licences and special fishing permits. Such cancellations shall take effect on the day before 
the date of issue of the new licences and special fishing permits by the Commission. New 
licences and special fishing permits shall take effect from their date of issue. 
7. Licences and special fishing permits shall be wholly or partially withdrawn before the 
date of expiry if the respective quotas fixed under Annex I have been exhausted. 
8. Licences and special fishing permits shall be withdrawn in the event of any failure to 
meet the obligations laid down in this Regulation. 
9. For a period not exceeding twelve months, no licence and spécial fishing permit shall 
be issued for any vessel in respect of which the obligations laid down in this Regulation have 
not been met. 
10. The Commission, on behalf of the Community, shall submit to Latvia the names and 
characteristics of Latvian vessels which will not be authorized to fish in the Community's 
fishing zone for the next month(s) as a consequence of an infringement of Community rules. 
Article 4 
Vessels authorised to fish on 31 December may continue fishing as from the beginning of next 
year until the list of vessels permitted to fish during the year in question is submitted to and 
approved by the Commission on behalf of the Community. 
Article 5 
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1997. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member 
States. 
Done at Brussels, .... December 1996. 
For the Council 
The President 
ANNEX I 
Latvian catch quotas and licences for 1997 
Fishing zone of the Members States of the Community 
Species 
Cod 
Herring 
Sprat 
Salmon Area within which 
fishing is authorised 
ICES IIId(,) 
ICES IIId(,) 
ICES IIId(,) 
ICES IIId(1) Quantity 
(tonnes) 
2,000 
2,500 
11,000 
3,500(2) Number of 
Licences(3) 
90 (42) 
} 
} 20 (14) 
} 
6(4) 
(I) 
(2) 
(3) Beyond 12-nautical-miles from the baselines from which the territorial sea is measured and south of 
59*30' North. 
Number of individual fish. 
The number of licences and special fishing permits valid at any given time is mentioned between 
brackets. In addition, a maximum of five transport refrigerator vessels will be authorised in the herring 
and sprat fisheries, but no more than three vessels will be authorised at any given time. 
? 
ANNEX II 
When fishing within the 200-nautical-mile zone off the coasts of the Member States of the 
Community which is covered by Community rules on fisheries, the following details are to 
be entered in the log-book immediately after the following events: 
1. After each haul: 
1.1. the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species caught; 
1.2. the date and the time of the haul; 
1.3. the geographical position in which the catches were made; 
1.4. the fishing method used. 
2. After each transhipment to or from another vessel: 
2.1. the indication "received from" or "transferred to"; 
2.2. the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) or each species transhipped; 
2.3. the name, external identifications letters and numbers of the vessel to or from 
which the transhipment occurred; 
2.4. transhipment of cod is not allowed. 
3. After each landing in a port of the Community: 
3.1. name of the port; 
3.2. the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species landed. 
4. After each transmission of information to the Commission of the European 
Communities: 
4.1. date and time of the transmission; 
4.2. type of message: IN, OUT, ICES, WKL or 2 WKL; 
4.3. in the case of radio transmission: name of the radio station. 
2 
ANNEX III 
1. The information to be transmitted to the Commission and the timetable for its 
transmission is as follows: 
1.1. On each occasion the vessel enters the 200-nautical-mile zone off the coasts of the 
Member States of the Community which is covered by Community rules on fisheries: 
(a) the information specified under 1.5; 
(b) the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species of fish in the hold; 
(c) the date and ICES division within which the master intends to commence 
fishing. 
Where the fishing operations necessitate more than one entry into the zone referred to 
under 1.1 on a given day, one communication shall suffice on first entry. 
1.2. On each occasion the vessel leaves the zone referred to under 1.1: 
(a) the information specified under 1.5; 
(b) the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species of fish in the hold; 
(c) the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species caught since the 
previous transmission; 
(d) the ICES division in which the catches were taken; 
(e) the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species transferred to and/or 
from other vessels since the vessel entered the zone and the identification of the 
vessel to which the transfer was made; 
(f) the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species landed in a port of the 
Community since the vessel entered the zone. 
Where the fishing operations necessitate more than one entry into the zone referred to 
under 1.1 on any given day, one single communication on the last exit will be 
sufficient. 
1.3. At three-day intervals, commencing on the third day after the vessel first enters the 
zone referred to under 1.1 when fishing for herring, and at weekly intervals, 
commencing on the seventh day after the vessel first enters the zone referred to under 
1.1 when fishing for all species other than herring: 
(a) the information specified under 1.5; 
(b) the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species caught since the 
previous transmission; 
(c) the ICES division in which the catches were made. 
1.4. On each occasion the vessel moves from one ICES division to another: 
(a) the information specified under 1.5; 
(b) the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species caught since the 
previous transmission; 
(c) the ICES division in which the catches have been taken. 
1.5. (a) The name, call sign, external identification letters and numbers of the vessel 
and the name of its master; 
(b) the licence number if the vessel is under licence; 
(c) the serial number of the message for the voyage concerned; 
(d) identification of the type of message; 
(e) the date^ the time and the geographical position of the vessel. 
°i 
2.1. 
2.2. 
3. The information specified under point 1 shall be transmitted to the Commission of the 
European Communities in Brussels (telex 24189 FISEU-B) via one of the radio stations 
listed under point 3 below and in the form specified under point 4. 
If it is impossible for reasons of force majeure for the message to be transmitted by 
the vessel, it may be transmitted on the vessel's behalf by another vessel. 
Name of radio station Call sign of radio station 
Blâvand 
Norddeich 
Scheveningen 
Oostende 
North Foreland 
Humber 
Cullercoats 
Wick 
Portpatrick 
Anglesey 
Ilfracombe 
Niton 
Stonehaven 
Portishead 
Land's End 
Valentia 
Malin Head 
Boulogne 
Brest 
Saint-Nazaire 
Bordeaux-Arcachon 
Stockholm 
Gryt 
Goteborg 
R0nne 
Maarianhamina 
Helsinki OXB 
DAFDAK 
DAHDAL 
DAI DAM 
DAJ DAN 
PCH 
OST 
GNF 
GKZ 
GCC 
GKR 
GPK 
GLV 
GIL 
GNI 
GND 
GKA 
GKB 
GKC 
GLD 
EJK 
EJM 
FFB 
FFU 
FFO 
FFC 
SOJ 
(no call sign) 
SOG 
OYE 
OHM 
OHG 
Form of the communications 
The information specified under point 1 shall contain the following elements which 
shall be given in the following order: 
name of vessel; 
call sign; 
external identification letters and numbers; 
serial number of the message for the voyage in question; 
VO 
indication of the type of message according to the following code: 
message when entering one of the zones referred to under 1.1: "IN", 
message when leaving one of the zones referred to under 1.1: "OUT", 
message when moving from one ICES division to another: "ICES", 
weekly message: "WKL", 
three-day message: "2 WKL"; 
the date, the time and the geographical position; 
the ICES divisions/sub-areas in which fishing is expected to commence; 
the date on which fishing is expected to commence; 
the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species of fish in the hold using 
the code mentioned in point 5; 
the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species of fish caught since the 
previous transmission using the code mentioned in point 5; 
the ICES division/sub-areas in which the catches were made; 
the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species transferred to and/or 
from other vessels since the previous transmission; 
the name and call sign of the vessel to and/or from which the transfer was 
made; 
the quantity (in kilograms live-weight) of each species landed in a port of the 
Community since the previous transmission; 
the name of the master. 
5. The code to be used to indicate the species on board as mentioned in point 4 above: 
COD - Cod (Gadus morhua), 
SAL - Salmon (Salmo salar), 
HER - Herring (Clupea harengus), 
SPR - Sprat (Sprattus sprattus). 
W 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 665 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 11 15 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-677-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-13375-2 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg 
a