Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/492 of 30 November 2023 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the prolongation of technical measures for certain demersal and pelagic fisheries in the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea and the West of Scotland
Date: 2023-11-30
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean, EU waters, United Kingdom, by-catch, conservation of fish stocks, deep-sea fishing, fishing area, sea fish, technical specification








L_202400492EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series L













2024/492


13.2.2024







            COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2024/492
of 30 November 2023
         
amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the prolongation of technical measures for certain demersal and pelagic fisheries in the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea and the West of Scotland


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006, (EC) No 1224/2009 and Regulations (EU) No 1380/2013, (EU) 2016/1139, (EU) 2018/973, (EU) 2019/472 and (EU) 2019/1022 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 894/97, (EC) No 850/98, (EC) No 2549/2000, (EC) No 254/2002, (EC) No 812/2004 and (EC) No 2187/2005 (1), and in particular Article 15(2) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 lays down specific provisions regarding technical measures at regional level for Union waters in the North Western Waters.












(2)


Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 was amended by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2324 (2) as regards remedial measures to reduce by-catch of cod and whiting in the Celtic Sea and additional selectivity measures aiming to reduce gadoid bycatches in the Irish Sea. The measures concerned, aiming to help achieving the objectives of conservation measures, the multiannual plans and the discard plan in the North Western Waters, were subsequently updated and prolonged during one year by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2588 (3), which expires at the end of 2023.












(3)


The remedial measures for stocks with biomass at levels below Blim foreseen under Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2019/472 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) (multiannual plan for the Western Waters) remain necessary to ensure rapid return of the stock or functional unit concerned to levels above those capable of producing MSY. Therefore, the remedial measures currently in force through Regulation (EU) 2022/2588 should be extended for one year, in order to continue optimising exploitation patterns, increase gear selectivity and reduce unwanted catches.












(4)


Following a request submitted by official letter from the North Western Waters Member States Regional Group on 13 September 2023, the technical measures set out in Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 for certain demersal and pelagic fisheries in the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea and the West of Scotland should be prolonged until the end of 2024.












(5)


As the measures provided for in this Regulation have a direct impact on the planning of the fishing-season planning of Union vessels and on related economic activities, this Regulation should enter into force on the day following that of its publication. Since the date of application of the measures adopted under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2588 expires on 31 December 2023, this Regulation should apply with effect from 1 January 2024 in order to ensure legal continuity.












(6)


The measures introduced by this Regulation applicable to Union waters are in pursuit of the objectives set out in Article 494(1) and (2) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (5) and have regard to the principles referred to in Article 494(3) of that agreement. They are without prejudice to any measures applicable in waters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.












(7)


Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.


Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2024.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 30 November 2023.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 198, 25.7.2019, p. 105.

(2)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2324 of 23 August 2021 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards technical measures for certain demersal and pelagic fisheries in the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea and the West of Scotland (OJ L 465, 29.12.2021, p. 1).

(3)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2588 of 20 October 2022 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards technical measures for certain demersal and pelagic fisheries in the Celtic Sea, the Irish Sea and the West of Scotland (OJ L 338, 30.12.2022, p. 44).

(4)  Regulation (EU) 2019/472 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 establishing a multiannual plan for stocks fished in the Western Waters and adjacent waters, and for fisheries exploiting those stocks, amending Regulations (EU) 2016/1139 and (EU) 2018/973, and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007 and (EC) No 1300/2008 (OJ L 83, 25.3.2019, p. 1).

(5)  
            OJ L 149, 30.4.2021, p. 10.




ANNEX
Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 is amended as follows:






(1)


point 1.6 of Part B is replaced by the following:






‘1.6.


Measures in points 1.3 to 1.5 shall apply until 31 December 2024.’;














(2)


point 10.2 of Part C is replaced by the following:






‘10.2.


Measures in point 10.1 shall apply until 31 December 2024.’











ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2024/492/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)