COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 11.03.1998 
COM(1998) 144 final 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 
amending Regulation (EC) No.45/98 
fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups offish stocks, the total allowable 
catches for 1998 and certain conditions under which they may be fished 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
The objective of the present proposal is to fix fishing possibilities for certain stocks offish and 
to allocate these equitably to Member States. The fixing and the sharing of possibilities for 
fishing falls exclusively within the competence of the Community and arises from obligations 
set out in Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of the Council of 20 December 19921, 
establishing a Community regime for fishing and aquaculture. 
According to scientific evidence, a number of fish stocks in the North Sea, which at present 
constitute an important by-catch in traditional fisheries, could be in the near future subject to an 
increased exploitation which may put them in biological risk. It would be therefore desirable to 
set limits to their catch in order that, without being necessarily restrictive in the short term, they 
would prevent an uncontrolled expansion of exploitation rates. 
The allocation of these catch limits must, in accordance with the second sub-paragraph of 
Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92, ensure relative stability of fishing activities. This 
can be approached by setting Member States' fish quotas for 1998 as the highest catch observed 
during the last five-year period. 
The Commission had already presented a similar proposal to the Council in 1997 in the 
framework of the general decisions on TACs for 1998. However, the Council postponed its 
decision in order to allow a revision of catch statistics. Accordingly, the present proposal 
replaces the former by updating the relevant catch statistics on the basis of Member States' 
catch declarations. 
This proposal intends to address these matters by modifying Council Regulation (EC) 
N° 4S/983 . 
()J.Nof389. 31.12.1992, p. I 
COM(97)669 final 
O.J. NoLI2, 19.1.1998, p. I 
SU 
Proposal for a 
Council Regulation (EC) No /98 of 1998 
amending Regulation (EC) No.45/98 
fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the total allowable 
catches for 1998 and certain conditions under which they may be fished 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3760/921 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 Regulation (EC) No. 45/98 fixes, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish 
stocks, the TACs for 1998 and certain conditions under which they may be fished; 
Whereas it is desirable to set new TACs for 1998 in order to limit the catches of a 
number of additional fish stocks or group of fish stocks in the North Sea; whereas 
these TACs should be allocated among Member States in accordance with the second 
sub-paragraph of Article 8(4) of Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92; 
Whereas Council Regulation (EC) No. 45/98 should therefore be amended 
accordingly, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION 
O.J. No L389, 31.12.1992, p. 1 
O.J.NoL12, 19.1.1998, p.l 
3 
Article 1 
The tables in annexes 1 and II to this Regulation shall be inserted, respectively, in 
Annexes I and III to Regulation (EC) No 45/98. 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication 
in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member 
States. 
Done at Brussels. 
For the Council, 
The President 
* 
Annex I, p. 1 
Species: Megrims |Zone: iia(i). North sea(i) 
Lepidorhombus spp. 
Belgie / Belgique 10 (1) Community waters 
Danmark 10 
Deutschland 10 
Ellada 
Espana 
France 50 
Ireland 
Italia 
Luxembourg 
Nederland 40 
Osterrelch 
Portugal 
Suomi/Finland 
Sverige 
United Kingdom 2880 
EC 3000 
TAC 3000 
Species: Anglerfish Zone: iia(i), North sea (1) i 
Lophiklae 
Belgie / Belgique 770 (1) Community waters 
Danmark 1710 
Deutschland 830 
Ellada 
Espana 
France 150 
Ireland 
Italia 
Luxembourg 
Nederland 580 
Osterreich 
Portugal 
Suomi/Finland 
Sverige 10 
United Kingdom 17950 
EC 22000 
TAC 22000 
s~ 
Annex I, p. 2 
Species: Turbot (2) Zone: iia(i), North sea 
Psetta maxima 
Belgie / Belgique 660 (1) Community waters 
Danmark 1410 (2) Including brill (Scophthalmus rhombus) 
Deutschland 360 
Ellada 
Espana 
France 170 
Ireland 
Italia 
Luxembourg 
Nederland 5000 
Osterreich 
Portugal 
Suomi/Finland 
Sverige 10 
United Kingdom 1390 
EC 9000 
TAC 9000 
Species: Skates and rays Zone: iia(i), North Sea i 
Rajidae 
Belgie / Belgique 1010 (1) Community waters 
Danmark 30 
Deutschland 40 
Ellada 
Espana 
France 150 
Ireland 
Italia 
Luxembourg 
Nederland 860 
Osterreich 
Portugal 
Suomi/Finland 
Sverige 
United Kingdom 3910 
EC 6000 
TAC 6000 
£ 
Annex I, p. 3 
Species: Dab (2) Zone: iia(i), North sea(i) i 
Limanda limanda 
Belgie / Belgique 760 (1) Community waters 
Danmark 2860 (2) including flounder (PiaOchthys flesus) 
Deutschland 4300 
Ellada 
Espana 
France 290 
Ireland 
Italia 
Luxembourg 
Nederland 17380 
Osterreich 
Portugal 
Suomi/Finland 
Sverige 0 
United Kingdom 2410 
EC 28000 
TAC 28000 
Species: Lemon sole (2) Zone: iia (1), North Sea (1) 
Microstomus kitt 
Belgie / Belgique 600 (1) Community waters 
Danmark 1640 (2) including witch (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) 
Deutschland 210 
Ellada 
Espana 
France 450 
Ireland 
Italia 
Luxembourg 
Nederland 1370 
Osterreich 
Portugal 
Suomi/Finland 
Sverige 20 
United Kingdom 6710 
EC 11000 
TAC 11000 
3-
Annex II 
Stocks 
Species 
Common name 
Megrims 
Anglerfish 
Turbot and brill 
Skates and Rays 
Dab and flounder 
Lemon sole and witch Latin name 
Lepidorhombus spp. 
Lophius spp. 
Psetta maxima & ScophthaJmus rhombus 
Rajidae spp. 
Umanda limanda & Platichthys flesus 
Microstomas kitt & Gtyptocephalus cynoglossus Area 
lla(1) 
Ha(1) 
Had) 
lla(1) 
lla(1) 
lla(1) , North Sea (1) 
, North Sea (1) 
, North Sea (1) 
, North Sea (1) 
, North Sea (1) 
, North Sea (1) Type of TAC 
A=analytical 
P= precautionary 
P 
P 
P 
P 
P 
P Articles 3 and 4 of Regulation 
(EC) No 847/96 applicable 
( 1/0 = yes/no) Deductions of Article 5(2) 
of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 
applicable ( 1/0 = yes/no ) 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
(1) Community waters 
°^ 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 144 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 03 02 14 10 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-148-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-31920-1 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg 
9