MORE SO SINCE THE UNITED KINGDOM ' S COMMUNICATION CONTAINS ONLY INCOMPLETE INFORMATION AS TO THE SCOPE OF THE MEASURE ENVISAGED : ITS CONTAINS NO EXPRESS JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT MEASURE IN VIEW OF CONSERVATION NEEDS AND GIVES NO INDICATIONS REGARDING THE SAFEGUARD OF THE INTERESTS OF THE OTHER MEMBER STATES CONCERNED . IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES , THE COMMISSION WAS ENTITLED TO WITHHOLD ITS APPROVAL FOR A MEASURE WHOSE SCOPE AND JUSTIFICATION IT WAS UNABLE TO ASSESS .
49 THE MEASURE WHICH WAS IN FACT BROUGHT INTO FORCE ON 20 SEPTEMBER 1978 MERELY ORDERS THE CLOSURE OF ALL FISHING GROUNDS IN THE IRISH SEA FROM 24 SEPTEMBER 1978 . IT CONCERNS A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA DIFFERENT FROM THAT TO WHICH THE SEASONAL CLOSURE PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE 1 OF REGULATION NO 1779/77 APPLIED . MOREOVER , THE MEASURE ADOPTED CONTAINS NO INDICATIONS AS TO THE QUANTITY OF CATCHES AUTHORIZED OR AS TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE CATCHES BETWEEN THE FISHERMEN OF THE VARIOUS MEMBER STATES CONCERNED . THE MEASURE INTRODUCED UNILATERALLY BY THE UNITED KINGDOM THEREFORE APPRECIABLY AMENDED THE COMMUNITY CONSERVATION MEASURES IN FORCE DURING 1977 . IT IS THEREFORE CLEAR THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM UNILATERALLY PREJUDICED THE SITUATION ESTABLISHED BY COMMUNITY MEANS FOR 1977 IN THE ZONE IN QUESTION WHEN IT HAD UNDERTAKEN TO MAINTAIN THEM IN ITS COMMUNICATIONS OF 2 AND 13 FEBRUARY 1978 , SUPRA , WITHOUT BEING ABLE EITHER TO GIVE RELIABLE INFORMATION AS TO THE EFFECTS OF THE MEASURES ADOPTED OR TO JUSTIFY CONSERVATION NEEDS WHICH MIGHT WARRANT THE CHANGES INTRODUCED . IT IS THEREFORE ALSO NECESSARY TO DECLARE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS FAILED TO FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE TREATY AS REGARDS THE ARRANGEMENTS APPLIED IN 1978 .
THE NORWAY POUT BOX
50 DURING 1977 , THE COUNCIL HAD THRICE ADOPTED MEASURES PROHIBITING FISHING FOR NORWAY POUT : BY ARTICLE 5 OF REGULATION NO 350/77 OF 18 FEBRUARY 1977 LAYING DOWN CERTAIN INTERIM MEASURES FOR THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERY RESOURCES ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 48 , P . 28 ), FOR THE PERIOD FROM 21 FEBRUARY TO 31 MARCH 1977 , BY REGULATION NO 1673/77 OF 25 JULY 1977 ON THE PROHIBITION ON FISHING FOR NORWAY POUT ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 186 , P . 30 ), FOR THE PERIOD FROM 1 SEPTEMBER TO 15 OCTOBER 1977 AND , FINALLY , BY REGULATION NO 2243/77 OF 11 OCTOBER 1977 PROHIBITING FISHING FOR NORWAY POUT ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL L 260 , P . 1 ), FOR AN ADDITIONAL PERIOD FROM 16 TO 31 OCTOBER 1977 . THE ZONE TO WHICH THAT PROHIBITION APPLIED ADJOINS THE EAST AND NORTH COASTS OF SCOTLAND ; THESE LIMITS , AS LAID DOWN IN THE REGULATIONS MENTIONED ABOVE , ARE NOT WHOLLY IDENTICAL BUT THE COMMON FEATURE OF THE MEASURES ADOPTED WAS THAT THEY DID NOT EXTEND FURTHER EAST THAN A LINE REPRESENTED BY 00* 00U LONGITUDE ( OR THE GREENWICH MERIDIAN ).
51 ON 31 OCTOBER 1977 , THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ADOPTED THE NORWAY POUT ( PROHIBITION OF