Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1996 of 29 September 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: 2025-09-29
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Atlantic Ocean, EU waters, Mediterranean Sea, catch by species, catch quota, conservation of fish stocks, fishing area, fishing rights, international waters, sea fish, sea fishing, ship's flag




L_202501996EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/1996


30.9.2025







            COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2025/1996
         
of 29 September 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 regional fisheries management organisations meetings.












(2)


Regulation (EU) 2025/202 sets a provisional total allowable catch (TAC) for anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the western part of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) subarea 9 and in subarea 10 for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 September 2025 at the level of 7 182 tonnes, pending the publication by ICES of its scientific advice for anchovy in the western part of ICES division 9a for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026. Following the publication of that advice on 20 June 2025, the definitive TAC for anchovy in the western part of ICES subarea 9 and in subarea 10 for the period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 should be set at the level advised by ICES.












(3)


On 31 October 2024, ICES published its scientific advice for Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in ICES divisions 8a and 8b for 2025. In that advice, ICES had advised that catches of that stock in that period should be no more than 3 502 tonnes. On 6 May 2025, ICES published revised scientific advice for Norway lobster in ICES divisions 8a and 8b for 2025. In that revised advice, which replaces the advice of 31 October 2024, ICES decreased its catch advice for that stock and that period to 2 601 tonnes. Regulation (EU) 2025/202 sets the TAC for Norway lobster in ICES divisions 8a, 8b, 8d and 8e for 2025 at the level of 3 502 tonnes based on the ICES advice of 31 October 2024. In accordance with Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/472 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2), read in conjunction with Article 3(5) of that Regulation, the level of the TAC for Norway lobster in ICES divisions 8a, 8b, 8d and 8e set for 2025 should therefore be amended based on the revised advice from ICES.












(4)


On 3 May 2025, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/837 (3) entered into force. Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/837 amended Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) as regards the management of 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 45oW, and the Mediterranean. In particular, it amended Annex I, points 1 and 2, to Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 by inserting derogations for the Gulf of Lion. In Regulation (EU) 2025/202, the following should therefore be amended to take those derogations into account: (i) the maximum number of French coastal artisanal fishing vessels authorised to fish actively for bluefin tuna between 8 kg/75 cm and 30 kg/115 cm in the Mediterranean; and (ii) the allocation of the French quota for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of 45oW, and the Mediterranean, for such vessels.












(5)


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












(6)


In order to maintain the reporting periods for the TACs amended by this Regulation, which apply from 1 January or 1 July 2025, the amended TACs should apply retroactively from those dates. Such retroactive application does not affect the principles of legal certainty and protection of legitimate expectations, as the quotas under those TACs have not yet been exhausted or are increased.












(7)


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,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1

Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2025/202

Annex IA, Part A, and Annexes ID and VI to Regulation (EU) 2025/202 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 day 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, 29 September 2025.


For the Council


The President

M. BØDSKOV
            





(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)  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, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/472/oj).

(3)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/837 of 7 February 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the management of bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and in the Mediterranean (OJ L, 2025/837, 2.5.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/837/oj).

(4)  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) 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).




ANNEX
Amendments to Annexes to Regulation (EU) 2025/202

(1)   
Annex IA is amended as follows:






(a)


in Part A, Table 2(1) is replaced by the following:

‘Table 2(1)










Species:


Anchovy


Zone:


9W (1) and 10





Engraulis encrasicolus



(ANE/9WX10)




Spain


2 287 



 (2)



Analytical TAC




Portugal


20 584 



 (2)



 




Union


22 871 



 (2)



 




TAC


22 871 



 (2)



 














(b)


in Part A, Table 9 is replaced by the following:

‘Table 9










Species:


Norway lobster


Zone:


8a, 8b, 8d and 8e





Nephrops norvegicus



(NEP/8ABDE.)




Spain


133


 


Analytical TAC’




France


2 082 


 




Union


2 215 


 




TAC


2 601 


 










(2)   
In Annex ID, Table 12 is replaced by the following:

‘Table 12










Species:


Bluefin tuna


Zone:


Atlantic Ocean, east of 45oW, and Mediterranean





Thunnus thynnus



(BFT/AE45WM)




Cyprus


195,17 



 (6)



Analytical TAC




Greece


350,95 


 


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




Spain


7 161,64 



 (4)
 (6)



Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply




France


7 132,06 



 (4)
 (5)
 (6)



 




Croatia


1 127,25 



 (8)



 




Italy


5 628,97 



 (6)
 (7)



 




Malta


450,68 



 (6)



 




Portugal


650,83 


 


 




Other Member States


80,60 



 (3)



 




Union


22 778,15 



 (4)
 (5)
 (6)
 (7)
 (8)
 (9)



 




TAC


40 570,00 


 


 






(3)   
In Annex VI, point 2 is replaced by the following:






‘2.


Maximum number of Union coastal artisanal fishing vessels authorised to fish actively for bluefin tuna between 8 kg/75 cm and 30 kg/115 cm in the Mediterranean






Spain


364




France


149 (1)
 (2)





Italy


30




Cyprus


20 (1)





Malta


54 (1)





Union


693











(1)  Part of subarea 9 west of the line connecting the following points:







Point


Latitude


Longitude




1


36o00'00''N


11o00'00"W




2


37o01'20"N


8o59'47"W





(2)  This quota may be fished only from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.’
         

(3)  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).

(4)  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


1 088,70 




France


505,77 




Union


1 594,47 





(5)  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 





(6)  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


143,23 


 




France


285,28 



 (*1)





Italy


112,58 


 




Cyprus


3,90 


 




Malta


9,01 


 




Union


554,00 


 





(*1)  Of which 50 % may only be fished in the Gulf of Lion.

(7)  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


112,58 




Union


112,58 





(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 3 of Annex VI for farming purposes (BFT/*8303F):






Croatia


1 014,53 




Union


1 014,53 





(9)  After transfer of 200 tonnes from Iceland to the Union.’
         

(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.

(2)  Of which at least 9 vessels shall be vessels fishing in the Gulf of Lion.’
         



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/1996/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)