CELEX: 51998PC0194
Language: en
Date: 1998-03-27
Title: Proposal for a Council Regulation (EC) amending Council Regulation (EC) No 65/98 of 19 December 1997 fixing, for certain stocks of highly migratory fish, the total allowable catches for 1998, their distribution in quotas to Member States and certain conditions under which they may be fished

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                  Brussels, 27.03.1998
                                                  COM(1998) 194 final
                                  Proposal for a
                         COUNCIL REGULATION (EC)
               amending Council Regulation (EC) No 65/98 of
       19 December 1997fixing,for certain stocks of highly migratory fish,
the total allowable catches for 1998, their distribution in quotas to Member States
              and certain conditions under which they may be fished.
                         (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                             EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
On 19 December 1997 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 65/98 laying down catch
limitations for certain stocks of highly migratory fish: bluefin tuna and swordfish, in
accordance with recommendations adopted by the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), to which the Community is a Contracting Party
since November 1997.
The different stocks of bluefin tuna and Atlantic swordfish are considered to be
overexploited; therefore the effectiye implementation of the ICCAT recommendations
concerning catch limitations for these species is essential to ensure their sustainable
exploitation.
As concerns swordfish, Regulation 65/98 only considers the TAC for the North Atlantic,
since the TAC for the South Atlantic was adopted by ICCAT on 21 November 1997,
therefore too late for the December 1997 Council. The TAC for South Atlantic swordfish
is applicable as of 1998 and must therefore be implemented as soon as possible in order
to ensure that Community fishermen have a timely and complete view of the catch
limitation applicable in 1998. This question requires the amendment of Regulation 65/98
as soon as possible.
This proposal incorporates the TAC for South Atlantic swordfish to bring Council
Regulation 65/98 in line with the latest ICCAT recommendations on catch limitations for
highly migratory fish.
The Commission proposes that the Council adopt this regulation.
                                            oi
 ---pagebreak---   Proposal of Council Regulation (EC) No... amending Council Regulation (EC) No
      65/98 of 19 December 1997 fixing, for certain stocks of highly migratory fish,
  the total allowable catches for 1998, their distribution in quotas to Member States
                     and certain conditions under which they may be fished.
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to the Council Regulation (EEC) No 3760/92 of 20 December 1992
establishing a Community system for fisheries and aquaculture( • ) and, in particular,
Article 8(4) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
 Whereas the Council adopted, on 19 December 1997, Council Regulation (EC)
No 65/98(2) laying down catch limitations for blucfin tuna and for North Atlantic
 swordfish; to implement recommendations adopted by the International Commission for
the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICC AT);
Whereas ICCAT, at its last annual meeting held in Madrid from 14-21 November 1997,
adopted a recommendation concerning catch limitations applicable to swordfish in the
Southern Atlantic. Whereas in order to ensure the rational exploitation of the Southern
Atlantic swordfish stock it is necessary to implement this recommendation;
Whereas it is therefore necessary to amend Council Regulation (EC) No 65/98
accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
                                                     Article 1
The table in the annex to this Regulation shall be inserted in the Annex to Council
Regulation (EC) No 65/98.
1
  O.J. L 389, 31.12.1992, p. I. Regulation as amended by Hie 1994 Act of Accession.
2
  O.J. L 12, 19.01.98, p. 145.
                                                    2
 ---pagebreak---                                           Article 2
This regulation shall enter into force on the seventh day after the day of its publication in
the Official Journal of the European Communities.
It shall apply with effect from 1 January 1998.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all member
States.
Done at
                                                                     For the Council
                                                                     The President
                                             Q
 ---pagebreak---                                                  ANNEX
Species:          Swordfish       Zone: Atlantic ocean, south of latitude 5* N
                  Xiphias gladius
Belgie / Belgique
Danmark
Deutschland
Ellada
Espafla                5.848
France
Ireland
Italia
Luxembourg
Nederland
Osterreich
Portugal                 385
Suom'i/Finland
Sverige
United Kingdom
EC                     6.233
TAC                   14.620
                                                           sr
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                   ISSN 0254-1475
                                                           COM(98) 194 final
                                              DOCUMENTS
EN                                                            03  11  07   10
                                    Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-204-HN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-78-32621-6
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