Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/262 of 2 February 2025 reopening the fishery for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean by vessels flying the flag of Greece, by repealing Regulation (EU) 2024/3250
Date: 2025-02-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean, EU waters, Greece, Mediterranean Sea, catch area, catch by species, catch quota, fishing rights, international waters, sea fish, sea fishing, ship's flag








L_202500262EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/262


6.2.2025







            COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2025/262
of 2 February 2025
         
reopening the fishery for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean by vessels flying the flag of Greece, by repealing Regulation (EU) 2024/3250


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

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


Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Union control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy (1), amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006, and in particular Article 36(2) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Council Regulation (EU) 2024/257 (2) lays down quotas for 2024.












(2)


On 4 December 2024, Greece notified the Commission, pursuant to Article 35(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, of its decision to prohibit fishing for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean as from 7 November 2024.












(3)


Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3250 (3) prohibited fishing for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean for vessels flying the flag of Greece.












(4)


According to the information received by the Commission on 10 December 2024 from the Greek authorities, a quantity is again available to Greece for the quota for that stock following exchanges of fishing opportunities concluded under Article 16(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4). Consequently, the fishery for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Greece should be reopened until further notice.












(5)


That reopening of fishery should take effect on 9 December 2024, in order to allow the quantity of bluefin tuna in question to be fished before the end of 2024.












(6)


Regulation (EU) 2024/3250 should therefore be repealed with effect from 9 December 2024.












(7)


Such retroactive application does not affect the principle of legal certainty and protection of legitimate expectations as a quota is again available for that stock,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1
The fishery for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean for the 2024 fishing season by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Greece referred to in the Annex is reopened.
Regulation (EU) 2024/3250 is repealed.


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 9 December 2024.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 2 February 2025.


For the Commission,


On behalf of the President,

Costas KADIS
            

Member of the Commission






(1)  
            OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1.

(2)  Council Regulation (EU) 2024/257 of 10 January 2024 fixing for 2024, 2025 and 2026 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters, and amending Regulation (EU) 2023/194 (OJ L, 2024/257, 11.1.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/257/oj).

(3)  Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3250 of 20 December 2024 establishing a fisheries closure for Bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean for vessels flying the flag of Greece (OJ L, 2024/3250, 31.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3250/oj).

(4)  Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 22, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1380/oj).




ANNEX






No


32/TQ257 – Reopening




Member State


Greece




Stock


BFT/AE45WM (including special conditions BFT/*641, BFT/*643, BFT/*8301, BFT/*8302, BFT/*8303F)




Species


Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)




Zone


Atlantic Ocean, east of 45° W, and Mediterranean




Closing date


7 November 2024




Reopening date


9 December 2024







ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/262/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)