COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 26.07.1996 
COM(%) 404 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGITTATTON (EC) 
amending Council Regulation (EC) No 3075/95 laying down, for 1996, 
certain measures for the conservation and management of fishery resources 
applicable to vessels flying the flag of Norway 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Under Council Regulation (EC) No 3075/95, Norway was granted a certain 
quota for North Sea herring in Community fishing waters for 1996. The 
quota was set on the basis of a TAC which was agreed upon between the 
Community and Norway on the basis of the then available scientific 
information. 
According to the most recent scientific information from the Advisory 
Committee for Fisheries Management of the International Council for the 
Exploration of the Sea, the North Sea herring stock is declining so 
dramatically that a moratorium will be inevitable in the years to come, unless 
rapid action is taken in 1 996 to reduce the fishing mortality and rebuild the 
spawning stock. Such action should consist of a 50% reduction in the North 
Sea TAC set for 1996 and a 50% reduction in the fishing mortality rate on 
North Sea herring taken in other fisheries. 
In view of this situation, the Community and Norway held consultations, in 
the framework of the bilateral fisheries agreement, on 12 June 1996, in 
order to agree on the appropriate measures for this joint stock. These 
consultations resulted in an agreement to reduce, inter alia, the current North 
Sea TAC by 50% and to reduce the corresponding quotas for each Party 
accordingly. Consequently, the Norwegian catch quota for North Sea herring 
in Community fishing waters is to be reduced from 50,000 tonnes to 45,240 
tonnes. 
Under Council Regulation (EC) No 3075/95, Norway was also granted certain 
quotas for plaice and blue whiting in Community waters for 1996. The 
fishery arrangements agreed upon by the Community and Norway for 1996 
provides for the possibility to consider a further transfer of plaice from 
Norway to the Community after 1 August 1996. 
Following a request from an interested Member State, further consultations 
were held with Norway, which resulted in an agreement to transfer, by 1 
August 1996, 1,250 tonnes of plaice from Norway to the Community in 
exchange for a transfer of an equivalent quantity of 10,000 tonnes of blue 
whiting from the Community to Norway. Consequently, the Norwegian 
quota for plaice in Community fishing waters is to be reduced from 2,460 
tonnes to 1,210 tonnes and the Norwegian quota for blue whiting in 
Community fishing waters is to be increased from 249,000 tonnes to 
259,000 tonnes. 
The objective of this proposal is to implement the measures agreed with 
Norway and to amend the above mentioned Council Regulation accordingly. 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 
amending Council Regulation (EC) No 3075/95 laying down, for 1996, 
certain measures for the conservation and management of fishery resources 
applicable to vessels flying the flag of Norway 
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'11 and, in particular, 
Article 8(4) thereof, 
having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas Council Regulation (EC) No 3075/95(2) allocates, for 1996, certain catch 
quotas to vessels flying the flag of Norway in Community waters; 
Whereas a catch quota of 50,000 tonnes of herring was allocated to Norway in 
Community fishing waters in ICES Divisions IVa and IVb for 1996; whereas this 
quota has to be reduced in order to reflect the reduction in the underlying North 
Sea TAC for herring; 
Whereas the most recent scientific information and, in particular, the report of the 
Advisory Committee for Fisheries Management of the International Council for the 
Exploration of the Sea, indicates that North Sea herring stock is outside safe 
biological limits and that, in order to protect this stock, it is necessary to take rapid 
management measures, including, inter alia, a 50% reduction in the relevant TAC; 
Whereas, in accordance with the procedure provided for in Articles 2 and 7 of the 
Fisheries Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom 
of Norway'3', the Parties have held consultations on the urgent measures which are 
required in the light of the new scientific information; whereas these consultations 
have been concluded successfully and, as a result, the aforementioned catch quota 
has been reduced; 
Whereas the fishery arrangements agreed upon by the Community and Norway for 
1996 provide for the possibility to consider a further transfer of plaice from Norway 
to the Community after 1 August 1996; 
(.2; 
(3) OJ No L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation as amended by the 1994 Act of Accession. 
OJ No L 330, 30.12.1995, p. 43. 
OJ No L 226, 29.8.1980, p. 48. 
3 
Whereas further consultations were held with Norway, which led to an agreement 
to transfer, by 1 August 1996, 1,250 tonnes of plaice from Norway to the 
Community in exchange for a transfer of 10,000 tonnes of blue whiting from the 
Community to Norway; whereas, as a result of this agreement, these quotas have 
to be modified accordingly; 
Whereas it is now necessary to implement these agreed measures; 
Whereas it is for the Council to lay down the specific conditions under which such 
catches must be taken, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
In Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 3075/95, the figures relating to plaice, 
blue whiting and herring shall be replaced by those set out in the Annex to this 
Regulation. 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the 
Official Journal of the European Communities. 
However, the amendments relating to plaice and blue whiting shall apply from 
1 August 1996. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all 
Member States. 
Done at Brussels, 
For the Council 
The President 
ANNEX 
Norwegian catch quotas for 1996 
' . Area within which Q * **t 
peGies fishing is authorised un y ^ 
"Plaice ICES IV 1,210" 
"Blue whiting ICESVlbINVM^,a(2 ' 259,000(9H10)" 
"Herring ICES IVa, b 45,240(16>" 
5 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(96) 404 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 11 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-396-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-07666-X 
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