Date: 2025-10-30Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1726 of 27 June 2025 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 as regards the correction of the territorial scope of provisions concerning short-necked clam and red seabream
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
**Executive Summary**
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1726, issued on 27 June 2025, amends Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 to correct the territorial scope of provisions concerning the minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) for short-necked clam and red seabream. This regulation takes effect the day following its publication, applying retroactively from 1 January 2025. Annexes VI and VII to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 are corrected accordingly.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Red Seabream MCRS (North Western Waters - Annex VI)**
* The MCRS of 36 cm applies to ICES subareas 6 and 7 until 31 December 2025.
* From 1 January 2026, the MCRS will revert to 33 cm in the absence of new regulations.
* In ICES subarea 5, the MCRS remains at 33 cm.
* **Red Seabream MCRS (South Western Waters - Annex VII)**
* The MCRS of 36 cm applies to ICES subarea 8 until 31 December 2025.
* From 1 January 2026, the MCRS will revert to 33 cm in the absence of new regulations.
* In ICES subareas 9 and 10 (Union waters) and CECAF zones 34.1.1, 34.1.2, and 34.2.0 (Union waters), the MCRS remains at 33 cm.
* **Short-necked Clam MCRS (South Western Waters - Annex VII)**
* The MCRS is 35 mm.
* A MCRS of 32 mm applies specifically to the Arcachon Basin, Statistical Rectangle 18E8 in ICES subarea 8.
**Impact Analysis**
**Fisheries Sector**
**Impact**
* The regulation directly impacts fisheries planning for short-necked clam and red seabream.
**Action Required**
* Fisheries need to adjust their practices according to the corrected MCRS values and territorial scopes.
* Fisheries must be aware of the temporary nature of the 36 cm MCRS and the potential reversion to 33 cm on 1 January 2026.
**Member States**
**Impact**
* Member states are responsible for enforcing the corrected technical measures.
**Action Required**
* Member states need to update their monitoring and enforcement activities to reflect the amended regulations.
* Member states must consider the corrected Annexes VI and VII when implementing fishing policies.
**European Commission**
**Impact**
* The regulation has direct implications for the Commission's oversight of fisheries resources and marine ecosystem protection.
**Action Required**
* Ensure the changes are properly integrated into the Commission's fisheries management framework.
* Monitor the effectiveness of the amended measures in achieving conservation objectives.
Key Entities Referenced
Regulation (EU) 2019/1241: Regulation on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, which is amended by this delegated regulation.
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3204: Delegated regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 as regards short-necked clam and red seabream.
ICES subarea 8: Area within South Western Waters referenced for the correction of minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) for short-necked clam.
ICES subareas 6 and 7: Area within North Western Waters referenced for the correction of minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) for red seabream.
Arcachon Basin: Statistical rectangle 18E8 in ICES subarea 8, where a minimum conservation reference size of 32 mm shall apply to Short-necked clam.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/1726 30.10.2025
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION(EU) 2025/1726
of 27 June 2025
amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 as regards the correction of the territorial scope of provisions
concerning short-necked clam and red seabream
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the
conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, amending
Council Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006, (EC) No 1224/2009 and Regulations (EU) No 1380/2013, (EU) 2016/1139,
(EU) 2018/973, (EU) 2019/472 and (EU) 2019/1022 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing
Council Regulations (EC) No 894/97, (EC) No 850/98, (EC) No 2549/2000, (EC) No 254/2002, (EC) No 812/2004 and
(EC) No 2187/2005(1), and in particular Article 15(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 lays down technical measures for the conservation of fisheries resources and the
protection of marine ecosystems. Annex VI thereto provides for technical measures in the North Western Waters
and Annex VII for such measures in the South Western Waters at regional level.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3204(2) amended the nineteenth entry of the table in Part A of that
Annex VI and the twentieth entry of the table in Part A of that Annex VII, to set a Minimum Conservation Reference
Size (MCRS) of 36 cm for red seabream, respectively in ICES subareas 6 and 7 and in ICES subarea 8.
(3) The scope of application for the MCRS of 36 cm for red seabream should be clarified since the territorial scope of
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3204, differing from previous similar delegated acts, was not specified by that
delegated act. In the North Western Waters it should be limited to ICES subareas 6 and 7; and in the South Western
Waters it should be limited to ICES subarea 8. In ICES subarea 5 and ICES subareas 9 and 10 (Union waters) and
CECAF zones 34.1.1, 34.1.2 and 34.2.0 (Union waters), the minimum conservation reference size of 33 cm is
maintained. Such clarification should appear in all official language versions of the text, and Annexes VI and VII to
Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 should be corrected accordingly.
(4) Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3204 amended the twenty-sixth entry of the table in Part A of Annex VII to
Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, to change the MCRS of short-necked clam from 35 mm to 32 mm in ICES subarea 8.
On 13 January 2025, the Member States brought to the Commission’s attention an error by which the amendment
had not included the reference to the statistical rectangle 18E8 in ICES subarea 8 (the Arcachon Basin), in accordance
with the joint recommendation.
(5) This error appears in all official language versions of the text, and Annex VII to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 should be
corrected accordingly.
(6) The measures introduced by this Regulation applicable to Union waters are in pursuit of the objectives set out in
Article 494(1) and (2) 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(3) and have regard to the principles referred to in Article 494(3) of that agreement. They are without
prejudice to any measures applicable in waters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
(1) OJ L 198, 25.07.2019, p. 105, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1241/2025-01-01.
(2) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3204 of 11 October 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European
Parliament and of the Council as regards short-necked clam and red seabream (OJ L, 2024/3204, 31.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.
eu/eli/reg_del/2024/3204/oj).
(3) OJ L 149, 30.4.2021, p. 10, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2021/689(1)/oj.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/1726/oj 1/3EN
OJ L, 30.10.2025
(7) Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 should therefore be corrected accordingly,
(8) As the measures provided for in this Regulation have a direct impact on the planning of the fishing season for short-
necked clam and red seabream and on related economic activities, this Regulation should enter into force on the day
following that of its publication. Considering that Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/3204 entered into force on
1 January 2025, this Regulation should also apply from that date,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Annexes VI and VII to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 are corrected in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
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 1 January 2025.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 27 June 2025.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/1726/ojEN
OJ L, 30.10.2025
ANNEX
(1) In Annex VI, Part A, the nineteenth entry of the table is replaced by the following:
‘Red seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) 36 cm(*),(**)
(*) This minimum conservation reference size shall apply to ICES subareas 6 and 7 until 31 December 2025. The minimum
conservation reference size of 33 cm shall apply to ICES subarea 5.
(**) In the absence of new rules adopted before 31 December 2025, as of 1 January 2026 the applicable minimum conservation
reference size shall be 33 cm.’.
(2) In Annex VII, Part A, the table is amended as follows:
(a) the twentieth entry is replaced by the following:
‘Red seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) 36 cm(*),(**)
(*) This minimum conservation reference size shall apply to ICES subarea 8 until 31 December 2025. The minimum
conservation reference size of 33 cm shall apply to ICES subareas 9 and 10 (Union waters) and CECAF zones 34.1.1,
34.1.2 and 34.2.0 (Union waters).
(**) In the absence of new rules adopted before 31 December 2025, as of 1 January 2026 the applicable minimum
conservation reference size shall be 33 cm.’;
(b) the twenty-sixth entry is replaced by the following:
‘Short-necked clam (Venerupis philippinarum) 35 mm(*)
(*) A minimum conservation reference size of 32 mm shall apply to the Arcachon Basin, Statistical Rectangle 18E8 in ICES subarea 8.’.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/1726/oj 3/3