Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 51/2006, as concerns blue whiting and herring
Date: 2006-03-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU waters, authorised catch, fishery management, fishing area, fishing regulations, fishing rights, sea fish

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 27.3.2006 
COM(2006) 144 final 

Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 51/2006, as concerns blue whiting and herring 

(presented by the Commission) 

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

Council Regulation (EC) No 51/20061 fixes for 2006 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. 

Pursuant  to  consultations  between  the  Community  and  the  Faroe  Islands  on  23  February  an 
arrangement on mutual access on the blue whiting stock and the herring stock in each others 
fishing zones has been reached. This arrangement should be implemented. 

The  Council  is  requested  to  adopt  this  proposal  as  soon  as  possible  in  order  to  allow 
fishermen to plan their activities for the fishing season. 

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OJ L 16, 20.1.2006, p.1 

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Proposal for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION 

amending Regulation (EC) No 51/2006, as concerns blue whiting and herring 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having  regard  to  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2371/2002  of  20  December  2002  on  the 
conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries 
Policy 2, and in particular Article 20 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission3 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  51/20064  fixes  for  2006  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. 

Pursuant  to  consultations  between  the  Community  and  the  Faroe  Islands  on  23 
February an arrangement on mutual access on blue whiting stock and the herring stock 
in  each  others  fishing  zones  has  been  reached.  This  arrangement  should  be 
implemented. 

(3) 

Regulation (EC) No 51/2006 should therefore be amended accordingly, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Annexes IA, IB and IV to Regulation (EC) No 51/2006 are amended in accordance with the 
Annex to this Regulation. 

Article 1 

2 
3 
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OJ L 358, 31.12.2002, p. 59 
OJ C […] […], p. […] 
OJ L 16, 20.1.2006, p.1 

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This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the 
Official Journal of the European Union. 

Article 2 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

Done at Brussels,  

For the Council 
The President 

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The Annexes to Regulation (EC) No 51/2006 are amended as follows: 

ANNEX 

(1) In Annex IA: 

The entry concerning the species Blue whiting in zone I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIIIabde, XII 
and XIV (EC and international waters) is replaced by the following: 

‘Species: 

Blue whiting 

Zone: 

I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIIIabde, XII and XIV (EC 
and international waters) 
 WHB/1 X 14 

Analytical TAC. 
Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 applies. 
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 applies. 
Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 applies. 

Micromesistius poutassou  
52 529 
20 424 
44 533 
36 556 
40 677 
64 053 
4 137 
12 994 
68 161 
344 063 
152 442 
45 000 

(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(5) (6) 
(1) (2) 
(3) (4) 

2 000 000 

Denmark 
Germany 
Spain 
France 
Ireland 
The Netherlands 
Portugal 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 
EC 
Norway 
Faroe Islands 

TAC 
__________ 
(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
(5) 
(6) 

May be fished in EC waters in areas II, IVa, VIa north of 56°30'N, VIb, VII west of 12°W  
Of which up to 500 tonnes may consist of argentine (Argentina spp.). 
Catches of blue whiting may include unavoidable catches of argentine (Argentina spp.) 
May be fished in EC waters in areas VIa north of 56°30' N, VIb, VII west of 12° W. 
Of which up to 61% may be fished in Norwegian Economic Zone or in the fishery zone around Jan Mayen. 
Of which up to 1.66% may be fished in Faroese waters, zone Vb.’ 

(2) In Annex IA:  

The following entry concerning the species Blue whiting in the EC waters of II, IVa, VIa, VIb 
and VII is inserted: 

‘Species: 

Faroe Islands 

Blue whiting 
Micromesistius poutassou  
(1) 
10 000 

Zone: 

EC waters of II, IVa (2), VIa(3),VIb, VII(4)  
WHB/24A567 

2 000 000 

TAC 
(1) To be counted against Faroe Islands' catch limits established under the Coastal States arrangement. 
(2) The catch in zone IVa shall be no more than 2 500 tonnes. 
(3) North of 56°30'N 
(4) West of 12°W’ 

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(3) In Annex IB: 

The following entry concerning the species Herring in zone I and II (EC and International 
waters) is inserted: 

‘Species: 

Herring  

Zone: 

EC waters and International waters of I and II 

Clupea harengus 

HER/1/2.  

Belgium 

Denmark 

Germany 

Spain 

France 

Ireland 

The Netherlands 

Poland 

Portugal 

Finland 

Sweden 

United Kingdom 

EC 

22 

21 243 

3 720 

70 

917 

5 499 

7 602 

1 075 

70 

329 

7 872 

13 581 

62 000 

Faroe Islands 

6 196 

(1) 

TAC 

Not relevant 

__________ 

(1) May be fished in EC waters. 

Special conditions: 

Articles 3 and 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 do not 
apply and Article 5(2) of that Regulation applies. 

Within the limits of the abovementioned quotas, no more than the quantities given below may be taken in the zones 
specified: 

II,  Vb  north  of  62°  N  (Faroese  waters) 
(HER/2A5B-F) 

Belgium 

Denmark 

Germany 

Spain 

France 

Ireland 

The Netherlands 

Poland 

Portugal 

Finland 

Sweden 

United Kingdom 

2 

2 117 

371 

7 

91 

548 

758 

107 

7 

32 

784 

1354 

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’ 

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(4) In Annex IV: 

Part I is amended as follows: 

‘PART I 

Quantitative limitations of licences and 

fishing permits for Community vessels fishing in 

third country waters 

Area of fishing 

Fishery 

Number 
of 
licences 

Allocation of 
licences 
amongst 
Member States 

Maximum 
number of 
vessels 
present at 
any time 

Herring, North of 62°00'N 

Demersal species, North of 62°00'N 

Norwegian 
waters 
fishery 
around 
Mayen 

and 
zone 
Jan 

Mackerel,  South  of  62°00'N,  purse  seine 
fishery 

Mackerel, South of 62°00'N, trawl fishery 

80 

11 

19 

FR:  18,  PT:  9, 
DE:  16,  ES:  20, 
UK: 14, IRL: 1 

50 

DE: 1 1, 
DK: 26 1, 
FR: 2 1, NL: 1 1 

Mackerel,  North  of  62°00'N,  purse  seine 
fishery 

11 2 

DK: 11 

Industrial species, South of 62°00'N 

Waters  of  the 
Faroe Islands 

All trawl fisheries with vessels of not more 
than  180  feet  in  the  zone  between  12  and 
21 miles from the Faroese baselines 

Directed fishing for cod and haddock with 
a minimum mesh of 135 mm, restricted to 
the  area  south  of  62°28'N  and  east  of 
6°30'W 

DK: 450, 
UK: 30 

BE:  0,  DE:  4, 
FR: 4, UK: 18 

480 

26 

8 3 

not 
relevant 

not 
relevant 

not 
relevant 

150 

13 

4 

1 
2 
3 

4 
5 
6 

This allocation is valid for purse and trawl fisheries. 
To be selected from the 11 licences for purse seine fishery for mackerel South of 62°00'N. 
Following  the  Agreed  Record  of  1999,  the  figures  for  the  Directed  fishing  for  cod  and  haddock  are 
included  in  the  figures  for  "All  trawl  fisheries  with  vessels  of  not  more  than  180 feet  in  the  zone 
between 12 and 21 miles from the Faroese baselines". 
These figures refer to the maximum number of vessels present at any time. 
These figures are included in the figures for "Trawling outside 21 miles from the Faroese baselines". 
Applies only to vessels flying the flag of Latvia. 

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Trawling  outside  21  miles  from 
the 
Faroese baseline. In the periods 1 March to 
31  May  and  1  October  to  31 December, 
these  vessels  may  operate  in  the  area 
between 61°20'N and 62°00'N and between 
12 and 21 miles from the baselines.  

Trawl  fisheries  for  blue 
ling  with  a 
minimum  mesh  of  100  mm  in  the  area 
south  of  61°30'N  and  west  of  9°00'W  and 
in  the  area  between  7°00'W  and  9°00'W 
south  of  60°30'N  and  in  the  area  south-
west  of  a  line  between  60°30'N,  7°00'W 
and 60°00'N, 6°00'W. 

Directed  trawl  fishery  for  saithe  with  a 
minimum  mesh  size  of  120  mm  and  with 
the  possibility  to  use  round-straps  around 
the codend. 

Fisheries  for  blue  whiting.  The 
total 
number  of  licences  may  be  increased  by 
four vessels  to  form  pairs,  should  the 
Faroese  authorities  introduce  special  rules 
of  access  to  an  area  called  "main  fishing 
area of blue whiting" 

Line fishing 

Fishing for mackerel 

Herring fisheries north of 62°N 

Waters  of  the 
Russian 
Federation 

All fisheries 

Fisheries for cod 

Fisheries for sprat 

70 

BE:  0,  DE:  10, 
FR: 40, UK: 20 

26 

DE: 8 4, 
FR: 12 4, 
UK: 0 4 

DE:  3,  DK:  19, 
FR:  2,  UK:  5, 
NL: 5 

UK: 10 

DK: 12 

DE:  1,  DK:  7, 
FR:  0,  UK:  5, 
IRL:  2,  NL:  3, 
SW: 3 

70 

70 

36 

10 

12 

21 

pm 
7 6 

pm 

20 5 

22 5 

20 

6 

12 

21 

pm 

pm 

pm’ 

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(5) In Annex IV: 

Part II is amended as follows: 

‘PART II 

Quantitative limitations of licences and fishing permits for 

third country fishing vessels in Community waters 

Flag State 

Fishery 

Norway 

Herring, North of 62°00'N 

Faroe Islands 

Mackerel,  VIa  (north  of  56°30'N),  VIIe,f,h,  horse 
mackerel,  IV,  VIa  (north  of  56°30'N),  VIIe,f,h; 
herring, VIa (north of 56°30'N) 

Herring north of 62°00'N 

Herring, IIIa 

Industrial  fishing  for  Norway  pout  and  sprat,  IV, 
VIa  (north  of  56°30'N):  sandeel,  IV  (including 
unavoidable by-catches of blue whiting) 

Ling and tusk  

Blue whiting, II, IVa, VIa (north of 56°30'N), VIb, 
VII (west of 12°00'W) 

Blue ling 

Russian 
Federation 

Herring, IIId (Swedish waters) 

Herring,  IIId  (Swedish  waters,  non-fishing  mother 
ships) 

Sprat 

Number 
of 
licences 

Maximum 
number  
of vessels  
present  
at any time 

18 

14 

21 

4 

15 

20 

20 

16 

pm 

pm 

4 1 

18 

14 

21 

4 

15 

10 

20 

16 

Pm 

Pm 

Pm 

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Barbados 

Penaeus shrimps 2 (French Guyana waters) 

Snappers 4 (French Guyana waters) 

Penaeus shrimps 5 (French Guyana waters) 

Penaeus shrimps 5(French Guyana waters) 

and 

Penaeus shrimps 5(French Guyana waters) 

Tuna 9 (French Guyana waters) 

Tuna 10(French Guyana waters) 

Guyana 

Surinam 

Trinidad 
Tobago 

Japan 

Korea 

Venezuela 

Snappers 5(French Guyana waters) 

Sharks 5 (French Guyana waters) 

5 

5 

pm 

5 

8 

pm 

pm 

41 

4 

pm 3  

Pm 

pm 6 

pm 7 

pm 8 

pm5 

Pm 

Pm 

_________________ 
1 Applies only to the Latvian zone of EC waters. 
2 The licences concerning fishing for shrimp in the waters of the French Department of Guyana shall be issued 
on  the  basis  of  a  fishing  plan  submitted  by  the  authorities  of  the  third  country  concerned,  approved  by  the 
Commission. The period of validity of each of these licences shall be limited to the fishing period provided for in 
the fishing plan on the basis of which the licence was issued. 
3 The annual number of days at sea is limited to 200. 
4 To be fished exclusively with long lines or traps (snappers) or long lines or mesh nets having a minimum mesh 
of 100 mm, at depths greater than 30 m (sharks). To issue these licences, proof must be produced that a valid 
contract  exists  between  the  ship  owner  applying  for  the  licence  and  a  processing  undertaking  situated  in  the 
French Department of Guyana, and that it includes an obligation to land at least 75% of all snapper catches, or 
50%  of  all  shark  catches  from  the  vessel  concerned  in  that  department  so  that  they  may  be  processed  in  that 
undertaking's plant. 

The contract referred to above must be endorsed by the French authorities, which shall ensure that it is consistent 
both  with  the  actual  capacity  of  the  contracting  processing  undertaking  and  with  the  objectives  for  the 
development of the Guyanese economy. A copy of the duly endorsed contract shall be appended to the licence 
application. 

Where the endorsement referred to above is refused, the French authorities shall give notification of this refusal 
and state their reasons for it to the party concerned and to the Commission. 
5 Applicable from 1 January to 30 April 2006. 
6 Pending the conclusion of fisheries consultations with Norway for 2006. 
7 The annual number of days at sea is limited to pm. 
8 The annual number of days at sea is limited to 350. 
9 To be fished exclusively with longlines. 
10 Of which at any given time a maximum of 10 for vessels fishing cod with gillnets., 

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