2003/185/EC: Commission Decision of 14 March 2003 on the allocation of additional days absent from port to Member States in accordance with Annex XVII of Council Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 762)
Date: 2003-03-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU waters, fishery resources, fishing port, fishing regulations, fishing vessel

L 71/28

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

15.3.2003

COMMISSION DECISION

of 14 March 2003

on the allocation of additional days absent from port to Member States in accordance with Annex
XVII of Council Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002

(notified under document number C(2003) 762)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2003/185/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 of 20
December 2002 fixing for 2003 the fishing opportunities and
associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish
stocks, applicable in Community waters and, for Community
vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required (1), and
in particular Annex XVII, paragraph 6, thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Paragraph 6(a) of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No
2341/2002 specifies the number of days on which
certain Community fishing vessels may be absent from
port in the geographical areas defined in paragraph 2 of
that Annex from 1 February 2003 to 31 December
2003.

Paragraph 6(b) of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No
2341/2002 provides the possibility for the Commission
to allocate additional days of absence from port
to
Member States for
these vessels to compensate for
steaming time between home ports and fishing grounds
and for adjustment to the newly-installed effort manage-
ment scheme.

The days provided for in paragraph 6(a) of Annex XVII
to Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 are sufficient to allow
vessels using gear other than those defined in paragraph
4(a) of that Annex, the necessary time to catch the quan-
tities of cod which they are entitled to fish during 2003.

Vessels using gears defined in paragraph 4(a) of Annex
to Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 traditionally
XVII
carry on board different kinds of gear. According to
paragraph 7 of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 2341/
2002, this practice is not allowed for fishing vessels
subject to that Annex. This rule results in a particular
need for those vessels to receive additional days for
adjustment to the new scheme, in order for to go back
to port to change gear when necessary. Two additional
days is considered as appropriate for this purpose.

(6)

(7)

(8)

Paragraph 6(c) of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No
2341/2002 provides the possibility for the Commission
to allocate additional days of absence from port
to
Member States for vessels carrying on board any of the
gear defined in paragraph 4(a) of Annex XVII to Regula-
tion (EC) No 2341/2002 in recognition of the achieved
results or expected results of decommissioning of fishing
vessels in 2002 and 2003.

Denmark and United Kingdom have submitted data on
decommissioning of such fishing vessels in 2002 and a
description of their intentions to decommission such
fishing vessels in 2003.

A Commission Decision is necessary to allocate addi-
tional days at sea for fishing vessels carrying on board
the fishing gear defined in paragraph 4(a) of Annex XVII
to Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

In accordance with paragraph 6(b) of Annex XVII to Regulation
(EC) No 2341/2002 Member States may allocate a maximum
of two additional days per calendar month on which vessels
may be absent from port while carrying on board any of the
fishing gear defined in paragraph 4(a) of that Annex.

Article 2

The maximum number of additional days which may be allo-
cated in each calendar month in accordance with paragraph
6(c) of Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002 shall be
as follows:

(a) Denmark: two days,

(b) United Kingdom: four days.

(5)

Every Member State is
similar
problems in relation with the adjustment to the newly
installed effort management system.

likely to encounter

Article 3

(1) OJ L 356, 31.12.2002, p. 12.

The number of additional days allocated under Articles 1 and 2
may be cumulated.

15.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 71/29

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 4

Done at Brussels, 14 March 2003.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission