Executive Summary:
Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/409 establishes a fisheries closure for plaice in area 7a for vessels flying the flag of Belgium because the allocated quota for 2020 has been exhausted. Fishing for plaice by Belgian vessels in area 7a is prohibited from December 24, 2020. The regulation enters into force the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Quota Exhaustion:** The fishing quota allocated to Belgium for plaice in area 7a for 2020 is deemed exhausted from December 24, 2020.
* **Prohibitions:**
* Fishing for plaice in area 7a by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Belgium is prohibited from December 24, 2020. This includes searching for fish and setting or hauling fishing gear.
* Transshipping, retaining on board, processing, transferring, caging, fattening, and landing plaice caught by these vessels is authorized only for catches taken *prior* to December 24, 2020.
* Unintended catches of plaice must be brought and retained on board, recorded, landed, and counted against quotas.
Impact Analysis:
* **Belgium Fishing Vessels:**
* Impact: Prohibition of fishing for plaice in area 7a from December 24, 2020, onward, due to quota exhaustion.
* Action Required: Cease all fishing activities targeting plaice in area 7a. Ensure any unintended catches are recorded and reported correctly.
* **European Commission:**
* Impact: Responsible for monitoring and enforcing the fisheries closure.
* Action Required: Ensure member states adhere to the regulation.
* **Member States:**
* Impact: Directly applicable in all Member States.
* Action Required: Observe regulation.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
European Commission: An institution of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.
Belgium: A Member State of the European Union, subject to the fisheries closure regulation.
Plaice: A species of flatfish (Pleuronectes platessa) subject to fishing quotas and closures.
Area 7a: A geographical area defined for fisheries management, where a closure for plaice fishing is established.
Council Regulation EC No 1224/2009: A Council Regulation establishing a Union control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy.
Regulation EU No 1380/2013: A Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Common Fisheries Policy.
Virginijus Sinkevičius: Member of the European Commission.
9.3.2021 E N O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l o f t h e E u r o p e a n Union L 81/21
COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2021/409
of 3 March 2021
establishing a fisheries closure for plaice in area 7a for vessels flying the flag of Belgium
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Union control system for
ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy(1), and in particular Article 36(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123(2) lays down quotas for 2020.
(2) According to the information received by the Commission, catches of the stock of plaice in area 7a by vessels flying
the flag of or registered in Belgium have exhausted the quota allocated for 2020.
(3) It is therefore necessary to prohibit certain fishing activities for that stock,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Quota exhaustion
The fishing quota allocated to Belgium for the stock of plaice in area 7a for 2020 referred to in the Annex shall be deemed
to be exhausted from the date set out in that Annex.
Article 2
Prohibitions
1. Fishing for the stock referred to in Article 1 by vessels flying the flag of or registered in Belgium shall be prohibited
from the date set out in the Annex. In particular it shall be prohibited to search for fish, shoot, set or haul a fishing gear for
the purpose of fishing that stock.
2. Transshipping, retaining on board, processing on board, transferring, caging, fattening and landing of fish and fishery
products from that stock caught by those vessels shall remain authorised for catches taken prior to that date.
3. Unintended catches of species from that stock by those vessels shall be brought and retained on board the fishing
vessels, recorded, landed and counted against quotas in accordance with Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of
the European Parliament and of the Council(3).
(1) OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1.
(2) Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 of 27 January 2020 fixing for 2020 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of
fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters (OJ L 25, 30.1.2020, p. 1).
(3) Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy,
amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002
and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 22).L 81/22 E N O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l o f t h e E u r o p e a n Union 9.3.2021
Article 3
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 3 March 2021.
For the Commission,
On behalf of the President,
Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS
Member of the Commission9.3.2021 E N O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l o f t h e E u r o p e a n Union L 81/23
ANNEX
No 36/TQ123
Member State Belgium
Stock PLE/07A.
Species Plaice (Pleuronectes platessa)
Zone 7a
Closing date 24.12.2020