Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION amending for the fourth time Regulation (EC) No 2742/1999 fixing for 2000 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks

(presented by the Commission)

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Council Regulation (EC) No 2742/1999 fixes, inter alia, the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for fishing Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, applicable in 2000. The quota allocated to the Community (18,590 Tm) corresponds to the quota allocated by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) to the Community.

However, at the last annual meeting of ICCAT (held in November 1999) the Community obtained the recognition of a surplus of 2,581 Tm of bluefin tuna in 1998 that may be transferred to 2000. This surplus was obtained taking into account the revision of catch statistics adopted by ICCAT for 1993 and 1994, which constitute the reference basis for the catch limitations in 1998. This revision was promoted by the Community in ICCAT in accordance with the provisions of Council regulation 65/98 in this regard.

At the Fisheries Council of December 1999, the Commission undertook to present a proposal to modify the Community quota for bluefin tuna in 2000 on the basis of the above surplus, and taking into account the over-fishing and under-fishing by Member States of their quotas in 1998.

The allocation of these 2,581 Tm carried over to 2000 is done on the basis of the relative contribution of Member States to the generation of the Community surplus in 1998.

The Council is requested to adopt this proposal in order to allow fishermen to utilise the new fishing opportunities and to continue fishing under appropriate conditions.

Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION amending for the fourth time Regulation (EC) No 2742/1999 fixing for 2000 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks

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 [1], and in particular Article 8, paragraph 4,

[1] OJ L 389, 31.12.1992, p. 1

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EC) No 2742/1999 of 17 December 1999 fixing for 2000 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks;

(2) Regulation (EC) 65/98 of 19 December 1997 mandated the Commission to undertake a revision of catch statistics in the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) and to modify Community quotas for 1998 accordingly;

(3) ICCAT, at its annual meeting of November 1998, adopted a revision of the catch statistics for 1993 and 1994, which constitute the reference for the 1998 catch limitations;

(4) ICCAT, at its annual meeting of November 1999, adopted the principle that the Community under-fished its catch limitation for 1998 by 2,581 Tm, on the basis of the revised data;

(5) The allocation of the 2,581 tonnes carried over to 2000 has been calculated on the basis of the contribution by Member States to the generation of the 1998.

(6) Council Regulation (EC) No 2742/1999 should be amended accordingly,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Regulation (EC) No 2742/1999 is amended as follows:

The entry in the Annex shall replace the corresponding entry in annex I F.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day 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

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