Council Regulation (EU) 2025/669 of 31 March 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2025/202 fixing for 2025 and 2026 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters
Date: 2025-03-31
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean, EU waters, Pacific Ocean, catch by species, catch quota, conservation of fish stocks, fishing area, fishing rights, international waters, sea fish, sea fishing, ship's flag




L_202500669EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/669


1.4.2025







            COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2025/669
         
of 31 March 2025
         
amending Regulation (EU) 2025/202 fixing for 2025 and 2026 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(3) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


Council Regulation (EU) 2025/202 (1) fixes for 2025 and 2026 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters. Those fishing opportunities, including certain measures functionally linked thereto, should be amended to take into account the publication of scientific advice, as well as the outcomes of consultations with third countries and regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO) meetings.












(2)


On 6 March 2025, the Union and the United Kingdom conducted bilateral consultations pursuant to Article 498(2), (4) and (6) 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 (2), on the level of the total allowable catches (TACs) for sandeel and associated by-catches (Ammodytes spp.) in United Kingdom and Union waters of ICES subarea 4, United Kingdom waters of ICES division 2a, and Union waters of ICES division 3a. The Union participated in those consultations on the basis of the Union position endorsed by the Council on 4 March 2025. The outcome of those consultations was documented in a written record signed on 12 March 2025. The relevant TACs should therefore be set at the level agreed with the United Kingdom.












(3)


Fishing effort limits for Union fishing vessels fishing for bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in part of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Convention area, in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45°W, and in the Mediterranean, and maximum input and capacity for Union farms of bluefin tuna in that area, are based on information provided in the annual plans referred to in Articles 11, 13 and 15 of Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3). Pursuant to Article 16(1) of that Regulation, Member States are to submit those plans to the Commission by 31 January of each year. Those plans are then compiled by the Commission and form the basis for the establishment of a Union annual plan, which is transmitted to the ICCAT Secretariat for discussion and approval by ICCAT, as required by Article 16(2) of Regulation (EU) 2023/2053. On 5 March 2025, the Union annual plan for 2025 was approved by ICCAT. The Union fishing effort limits and Union maximum farming input and capacity for 2025 should therefore be amended in line with that annual plan.












(4)


In accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2023/2053, certain Member States included in their annual fishing plans submitted to the Commission requests to carry over 5 % of their annual quota of bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45°W, and the Mediterranean, from 2024 to 2025. On the basis of those requests, the Commission integrated a request for carry-over of the EU quota for that stock from 2024 to 2025 in the Union annual plan for 2025. Following the approval of the Union annual plan, the quotas of the relevant Member States for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45°W, and the Mediterranean, for 2025, should therefore be amended accordingly.












(5)


In accordance with Articles 8a, 17b and 18b of Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4), annual quotas for certain Member States for (a) bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) in the Atlantic Ocean, (b) albacore (Thunnus alalunga) in the Atlantic Ocean, both north of 5°N and south of 5°N, and (c) swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in the Atlantic Ocean, both north of 5°N and south of 5°N, were transferred from 2023 to 2025 in accordance with the relevant ICCAT recommendations. The quotas of the relevant Member States for those stocks for 2025 should therefore be amended accordingly.












(6)


Article 33(1) of Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 requires Union vessels not to harm and to promptly release into the sea when incidentally by-caught, to the extent practicable, shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) in the Atlantic Ocean, north of 5°N (‘North Atlantic shortfin mako’), while giving due consideration to the safety of crew members. At its 2021 annual meeting, ICCAT adopted a prohibition to retain on board, tranship or land any part or whole carcass of North Atlantic shortfin mako. Therefore, that prohibition should be implemented in Union law. That prohibition should apply until 31 December 2025 or until the date on which an amendment to Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 introducing the same prohibition becomes applicable, whichever is earlier.












(7)


At its 13th annual meeting in 2025, the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) adopted catch limits for jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) and maintained exploratory fisheries for toothfishes (Dissostichus spp.). In addition, the SPRFMO maintained or amended functionally linked measures. Those outcomes of the SPRFMO meeting should be implemented in Union law.












(8)


At its 2024 annual meeting, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) maintained the closure periods for purse seine vessels fishing for yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), bigeye tuna or skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis). That measure has already been implemented in Union law through Regulation (EU) 2025/202. In addition, at its 2024 annual meeting, the IATTC decided that Contracting Parties should report to its Secretariat annual catches of bigeye tuna by individual purse seine vessels by 15 February of the following year and to envisage additional days of closure for individual purse seine vessels where those vessels reach specific thresholds in catches of bigeye tuna. Those outcomes should be implemented in Union law.












(9)


In Part B of Annex IA to Regulation (EU) 2025/202, an error in the TAC table for mackerel (Scomber scombrus) in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, in the special condition for UK and international waters of ICES zones 2a, 5b, 6, 7, 8d, 8e, 12 and 14 (MAC/*2AX14) in footnote 1, should be corrected.












(10)


Regulation (EU) 2025/202 should therefore be amended accordingly.












(11)


Given the urgency of avoiding interruptions to fishing activities, this Regulation should enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.












(12)


The fishing opportunities, and measures functionally linked thereto, provided for in Regulation (EU) 2025/202 apply from 1 January 2025. The provisions introduced by this Regulation concerning fishing opportunities, and measures functionally linked thereto, should therefore also apply from that date. Such retroactive application does not affect the principle of legal certainty or the principle of the protection of legitimate expectations, as the fishing opportunities concerned are either increased or have not yet been exhausted and the functionally linked measures have already been implemented,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1

Amendments to Regulation (EU) 2025/202

Regulation (EU) 2025/202 is amended as follows:






(1)


Article 29 is replaced by the following:

‘Article 29
Sharks

1.   In addition to the prohibitions established in Articles 32 to 36 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2107, it shall also be prohibited to engage in directed fishery for species of thresher sharks of the Alopias genus.


2.   It shall be prohibited to retain on board, tranship or land any part or whole carcass of shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) in the Atlantic Ocean, north of 5°N, caught in fisheries in the ICCAT Convention area.’

;









(2)


in Article 37, the following paragraphs are added:

‘5.   For each of the purse seine fishing vessels fishing in the IATTC Convention area and flying the flag of a Member State, that flag Member State shall transmit to the Commission by 1 February data on annual catches of bigeye tuna in the IATTC Convention area in the previous year. The Commission shall compile and promptly transmit that information to the IATTC Secretariat.


6.   The closure periods referred to in paragraph 1 shall be extended for Union purse seine vessels, on the basis of their catches of bigeye tuna in the IATTC Convention area during the previous year, as follows:






—


for vessels that caught between 1 200 tonnes and 1 499 tonnes, the closure period is extended by 10 days;










—


for vessels that caught between 1 500 tonnes and 1 799 tonnes, the closure period is extended by 13 days;










—


for vessels that caught between 1 800 tonnes and 2 099 tonnes, the closure period is extended by 16 days;










—


for vessels that caught between 2 100 tonnes and 2 399 tonnes, the closure period is extended by 19 days; and










—


for vessels that caught 2 400 tonnes or more, the closure period is extended by 22 days.




The extensions of the closure periods referred to in the first subparagraph apply as follows:






—


for the closure period referred to in paragraph 1, point (a), the additional days are added before the start of that closure period; and










—


for the closure period referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), the additional days are added after the end of that closure period.




For each of the fishing vessels concerned, the relevant flag Member State shall inform the Commission of the extensions of the closure periods when informing the Commission of the selected closure periods in accordance with paragraph 2.’
;









(3)


in Article 63, the following point is inserted:






‘(ha)


Article 29(2) shall apply from 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2025 or the date on which an amendment to Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 introducing a prohibition to retain on board, tranship or land any part or whole carcass of shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) in the Atlantic Ocean, north of 5°N, caught in fisheries in the ICCAT Convention area becomes applicable, whichever is the earlier;’




;










(4)


Annexes IA, Part B, Annexes ID, IH and VI are amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.






Article 2

Entry into force and application

This Regulation shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2025.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 31 March 2025.


For the Council


The President

A. SZŁAPKA
            





(1)  Council Regulation (EU) 2025/202 of 30 January 2025 fixing for 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) 2024/257 as regards fishing opportunities for 2025 (OJ L, 2025/202, 31.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/202/oj).

(2)  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 (OJ L 149, 30.4.2021, p. 10, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2021/689(1)/oj).

(3)  Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, amending Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EU) No 2017/2107, and (EU) 2019/833 and repealing Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 (OJ L 238, 27.9.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2053/oj).

(4)  Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2017 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007 (OJ L 315, 30.11.2017, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/2107/oj).




ANNEX
Annexes IA, ID, IH and VI to Regulation (EU) 2025/202 are amended as follows:






(1)


in Annex IA, Part B is amended as follows:






(a)


Table 1 is replaced by the following:

‘Table 1














Species:


Sandeel and associated by-catches


Zone:


United Kingdom and Union waters of 4; United Kingdom waters of 2a;
Union waters of 3a





Ammodytes spp.


 




Denmark


102 630 



 (1)



Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply, unless otherwise specified in footnote 2.
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply, unless otherwise specified in footnote 2.




Germany


157



 (1)





Sweden


3 769 



 (1)





Union


106 556 


 




United Kingdom


3 522 


 




TAC


110 078 


 




Special condition: within the limits of these quotas, no more than the quantities given below may be taken in the following sandeel management areas, as defined in Annex III:
Zone: Union waters of sandeel management areas















 


1r


2r


3r


4


5r


6


7r




 


(SAN/234_1R)

 ()



(SAN/234_2R)

 ()



(SAN/234_3R)


(SAN/234_4)


(SAN/234_5R)


(SAN/234_6)

 ()



(SAN/234_7R)




Denmark


66 016 


36 509 


0


0


0


104


0




Germany


101


56


0


0


0


0


0




Sweden


2 424 


1 341 


0


0


0


4


0




Union


68 541 


37 906 


0


0


0


108


0




United Kingdom


2 266 


1 253 


0


0


0


4


0




Total


70 807 


39 159 


0


0


0


112


0





()  Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall apply.
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall apply.’;




















(b)


in Table 103, footnote 1 is replaced by the following:






‘(1)


Special condition: within the limits of those quotas, no more than the quantities given below may be taken in the following zones:










 


3a
(MAC/*03A.)


United Kingdom and Union waters of 3a, 4b and 4c
(MAC/*3A4BC)


4b
(MAC/*04B.)


4c
(MAC/*04C.)


United Kingdom and international waters of 2a, 5b, 6, 7, 8d, 8e, 12 and 14
(MAC/*2AX14)




Belgium


0


0


0


0


228




Denmark


0


4 130 


0


0


13 197 




Germany


0


0


0


0


238




France


0


490


0


0


718




Netherlands


0


490


0


0


723




Sweden


0


0


390


10


2 184 




Union


0


5 110 


390


10


17 288 ’;






















(2)


Annex ID is amended as follows:






(a)


Tables 7 and 8 are replaced by the following:

‘Table 7










Species:


Northern albacore


Zone:


Atlantic Ocean, north of 5°N





Thunnus alalunga



(ALB/AN05N)




Ireland


4 603,57 


 


Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply




Spain


26 004,73 


 




France


9 172,27 


 




Portugal


3 198,54 


 




Union


42 979,11 



 (2)
 (3)





TAC


47 251,00 


 








Table 8










Species:


Southern albacore


Zone:


Atlantic Ocean, south of 5°N





Thunnus alalunga



(ALB/AS05N)




Spain


1 087,65 


 


Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply’;




France


357,45 


 




Portugal


761,15 


 




Union


2 206,25 


 




 


0,00 


 




TAC


28 000,00 


 














(b)


Tables 11 and 12 are replaced by the following:

‘Table 11










Species:


Bigeye tuna


Zone:


Atlantic Ocean





Thunnus obesus



(BET/ATLANT)




Spain


8 404,59 



 (4)



Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply




France


3 569,90 



 (4)





Portugal


2 943,93 



 (4)





Union


14 918,42 



 (4)





TAC


73 000,00 



 (4)









Table 12










Species:


Bluefin tuna


Zone:


Atlantic Ocean, east of 45°W, and Mediterranean





Thunnus thynnus



(BFT/AE45WM)




Cyprus


193,42 



 (8)



Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply




Greece


347,70 


 




Spain


7 098,54 



 (6)
 (8)





France


7 069,80 



 (6)
 (7)
 (8)





Croatia


1 117,41 



 (10)





Italy


5 579,83 



 (8)
 (9)





Malta


446,65 



 (8)





Portugal


644,90 


 




Other Member States


79,90 



 (5)





Union


22 578,15 



 (6)
 (7)
 (8)
 (9)
 (10)





TAC


40 570,00 



 (5)















(c)


Tables 14 and 15 are replaced by following:

‘Table 14










Species:


Swordfish


Zone:


Atlantic Ocean, north of 5°N





Xiphias gladius



(SWO/AN05N)




Spain


6 425,79 



 (12)



Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply




Portugal


1 071,61 



 (12)





Other Member States


97,07 



 (11)
 (12)





Union


7 594,47 


 




TAC


14 769,00 


 








Table 15










Species:


Swordfish


Zone:


Atlantic Ocean, south of 5°N





Xiphias gladius



(SWO/AS05N)




Spain


5 004,84 



 (13)



Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply




Portugal


301,56 



 (13)





Union


5 306,40 


 




TAC


10 000,00 


 


















(3)


Annex IH is replaced by the following:



                                    ‘ANNEX IH
SPRFMO CONVENTION AREA

Table 1










Species:


Toothfishes

Dissostichus spp.


Zone:


SPRFMO Convention area, research blocks A and B (14)

(TOT/SPR-AB)




TAC


162



 (15)
 (16)
 (17)



Precautionary TAC








Table 2










Species:


Jack mackerel

Trachurus murphyi



Zone:


SPRFMO Convention area
(CJM/SPRFMO)




Germany


23 278,33 


 


Analytical TAC
Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply’;




Netherlands


25 231,31 


 




Lithuania


16 197,66 


 




Poland


27 850,69 


 




Union


92 558,00 


 




TAC


Not relevant


 
















(4)


Annex VI is amended as follows:






(a)


in point 2, footnote 1 is replaced by the following:






‘(1)


This number may increase if a purse seiner is replaced by up to 10 longline vessels in accordance with the table in point 4 of this Annex.’;














(b)


points 4, 5 and 6 are replaced by the following:






‘4.


Maximum number of fishing vessels of each Member State that may be authorised to fish for, retain on board, tranship, transport or land bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Table













 


Number of fishing vessels (1)





 


Greece (2)



Spain


France


Croatia


Italy


Cyprus (3)



Malta (4)



Portugal




Purse seiners (5)



0


7


22


18


21


1


2


0




Longliners


0


36


23


0


40


16


63


0




Baitboats


0


66


8


0


0


0


0


0




Handline


0


1


47


12


0


0


0


0




Trawlers


0


0


56


0


0


0


0


0




Small-scale


50


704


0


0


0


0


0


76




Other artisanal (6)



76


0


149


0


151


0


255


0














5.


Maximum number of traps engaged in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery authorised by each Member State






Maximum number of traps




Member State


Number of traps




Spain


6




Italy


2




Portugal


2














6.


Maximum number of authorised farms and maximum input of wild-caught bluefin tuna that each Member State may allocate to its farms in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean
Table







Maximum number of authorised farms and input of wild-caught bluefin tuna (in tonnes)




Member State


Number of farms


input (in tonnes)




Greece


0


0




Spain


7


9 326,00 




Croatia


4


2 652,30 




Italy


7


1 910,00 




Cyprus


0


0




Malta


5


12 325,00 




Portugal


2


518,00 ’


















(1)  Up to 2 % of the quota may consist of by-catches of whiting and mackerel (OT1/*2A3A4X). By-catches of whiting and mackerel counted against the quota pursuant to this provision and by-catches of species counted against the quota pursuant to Article 15(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 shall, together, not exceed 9 % of the quota.

(2)  Article 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall apply.
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall apply.’;

(2)  The number of Union fishing vessels fishing for Northern albacore as a target species shall be: 1 241.

(3)  Special condition: within the limit of this quota, no more than the following quantity may be taken in United Kingdom waters (ALB/*AN05N-UK): 280,00.

(4)  Catches of bigeye tuna by purse seiners (BET/*ATLPS) and longliners with an overall length of 20 metres and above (BET/*ATLLL) shall be reported separately. As of June, when catches reach 80 % of the quota, Member States are required to transmit the catches for these fishing vessels on a weekly basis.

(5)  Except Cyprus, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Malta and Portugal, and exclusively as by-catch. Catches to be counted against this shared quota shall be reported separately (BFT/AE45WM_AMS).

(6)  Special condition: within this TAC, the following catch limits and allocation between Member States shall apply to catches of bluefin tuna between 8 kg/75 cm and 30 kg/115 cm by the vessels referred to in point 1 of Annex VI (BFT/*8301):






Spain


1 079,14 




France


501,33 




Union


1 580,47 





(7)  Special condition: within this TAC, the following catch limits and allocation between Member States shall apply to catches of bluefin tuna weighing no less than 6,4 kg or measuring no less than 70 cm by the vessels referred to in point 1 of Annex VI (BFT/*641):






France


100,00 




Union


100,00 





(8)  Special condition: within this TAC, the following catch limits and allocations between Member States shall apply to catches of bluefin tuna between 8 kg/75 cm and 30 kg/115 cm by the vessels referred to in point 2 of Annex VI (BFT/*8302):






Spain


141,97 




France


141,40 




Italy


111,60 




Cyprus


3,87 




Malta


8,93 




Union


407,77 





(9)  Special condition: within this TAC, the following catch limits and allocations between Member States shall apply to catches of bluefin tuna between 8 kg/75 cm and 30 kg/115 cm by the vessels referred to in point 3 of Annex VI (BFT/*643):






Italy


111,60 




Union


111,60 





(10)  Special condition: within this TAC, the following catch limits and allocations between Member States shall apply to catches of bluefin tuna between 8 kg/75 cm and 30 kg/115 cm by the vessels referred to in point 3 of Annex VI for farming purposes (BFT/*8303F):






Croatia


1 005,67 




Union


1 005,67 ’;





(11)  Exclusively for by-catches. Catches to be counted against this shared quota shall be reported separately (SWO/AN05N_AMS).

(12)  Special condition: up to 2,39 % of this quantity may be fished in the Atlantic Ocean, south of 5°N (SWO/*AS05N). Catches to be counted against the special condition of the shared quota shall be reported separately (SWO/*AS05N_AMS).

(13)  Special condition: up to 3,51 % of this quantity may be fished in the Atlantic Ocean, north of 5°N (SWO/*AN05N).’;

(14)  Research block A:






NW:


50°30′S, 136°E




NE:


50°30′S, 140°30′E




SE:


54°50′S, 140°30′E




SW:


54°50′S, 136°E




Research block B:






NW:


52°45′S, 140°30′E




NE:


52°45′S, 145°30′E




SE:


54°50′S, 145°30′E




SW:


54°50′S, 140°30′E





(15)  This annual TAC is only for exploratory fisheries, as defined in Article 4, point 11, of Regulation (EU) 2018/975 of the European Parliament and of the Council*. Fishing shall be limited to depths between 600 m and 2 500 m. Fishing shall be limited to one trip of a maximum duration of 60 consecutive days which may occur any time between 1 May and 15 November 2025. All fishing shall cease immediately if the death of the following occurs:






(a)


one of any of the following species: wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans), grey-headed albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma), black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris), grey petrel (Procellaria cinerea), soft-plumaged petrel (Pterodroma mollis); or










(b)


three individuals of any of the following species: light-mantled albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata), southern giant petrel (Macronectes giganteus) and northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli).




Fishing shall further be limited to a maximum number of 5 000 hooks per set, with a maximum of 100 sets. Longlines shall be set at least 3 nautical miles apart from each other, and not set at previous longline locations within one calendar year. Fishing shall cease either when the TAC is reached or if 100 sets have been set and hauled during the trip, whichever is earlier.






*


Regulation (EU) 2018/975 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) Convention Area (OJ L 179, 16.7.2018, p. 30, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/975/oj).





(16)  Of which up to 129 tonnes may be fished in research block A. As the catch limit for research block A is approached, shorter lines shall be set to ensure that the catch limit is not exceeded. Catches of toothfishes in research block A shall be reported separately (TOT/SPR-A).

(17)  Of which up to 33 tonnes may be fished in research block B. As the catch limit for research block B is approached, shorter lines shall be set to ensure that the catch limit is not exceeded. Catches of toothfishes in research block B shall be reported separately (TOT/SPR-B).

(1)  The numbers in this table may be further increased, provided that the Union’s international obligations are complied with.

(2)  One medium-size purse seiner has been replaced by no more than 10 longline vessels, or by one small purse seiner and three other artisanal vessels.

(3)  One medium-size purse seiner may be replaced by no more than 10 longline vessels, or by one small purse seiner and no more than three longline vessels.

(4)  One medium-size purse seiner may be replaced by no more than 10 longline vessels.

(5)  The individual numbers of purse seiners in this table are the result of transfers between Member States and do not constitute historical rights for the future.

(6)  Polyvalent vessels, using multi-gear equipment (longline, handline, trolling line).



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/669/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)