Date: 2023-11-17Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2604 of 15 November 2023 establishing a fisheries closure for bottom trawl vessels flying the flag of Italy and targeting European hake in the Strait of Sicily (GFCM geographical subareas 12-13-14-15-16)
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
Executive Summary:
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2604 establishes a fisheries closure for Italian bottom trawl vessels targeting European hake in the Strait of Sicily (GFCM geographical subareas 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16). This regulation is due to the maximum allowable fishing effort for this stock being reached for 2023. The closure date for these fishing activities was October 10, 2023. The regulation entered into force on November 18, 2023.
Key Points / Main Content:
Effort Exhaustion:
* The maximum allowable fishing effort allocated to Italy for bottom trawl vessels targeting European hake in the Strait of Sicily (GFCM geographical subareas 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16) for 2023 is deemed to have been reached as of October 10, 2023.
Prohibitions:
* Fishing activities for European hake in the Strait of Sicily by Italian bottom trawl vessels are prohibited from October 10, 2023.
* It is prohibited to retain on board, relocate, tranship, or land European hake caught by these vessels after October 10, 2023.
Entry into Force:
* The Regulation entered into force on November 18, 2023 (the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union).
Impact Analysis:
Italian Bottom Trawl Vessels:
* Impact: Prohibition of fishing activities targeting European hake in the Strait of Sicily (GFCM geographical subareas 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16). Unable to retain, relocate, tranship or land any catches from that stock after 10 October 2023.
* Action Required: Cease all fishing activities targeting European hake in the specified area and ensure no catches are retained, relocated, transhipped, or landed after the specified date.
European Commission:
* Impact: Responsible for monitoring and enforcing the fisheries closure.
* Action Required: Ensure compliance with the regulation.
Member States:
* Impact: Obligated to ensure the regulation is directly applicable and enforced within their jurisdiction.
* Action Required: Implement and enforce the regulation.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: The political and economic union of European member states.
Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2604: A regulation of the European Commission establishing a fisheries closure for bottom trawl vessels flying the flag of Italy and targeting European hake in the Strait of Sicily.
Italy: A member state of the European Union, specifically mentioned as the country whose flagged vessels are subject to the fishing closure.
European hake: The target fish species (Merluccius merluccius) in the Strait of Sicily for which fishing restrictions are being imposed.
Strait of Sicily: The geographical area where the fishing closure for European hake applies.
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM): The relevant fisheries commission for the Mediterranean Sea.
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.
Brussels: The location where the regulation was adopted.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2023/2604 17.11.2023
COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2023/2604
of 15 November 2023
establishing a fisheries closure for bottom trawl vessels flying the flag of Italy and targeting
European hake in the Strait of Sicily (GFCM geographical subareas 12-13-14-15-16)
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 2009establishing 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) 2023/195(2)lays down fishing opportunities for 2023.
(2) According to the information received by the Commission, the maximum allowable fishing effort for bottom trawl
vessels flying the flag of or registered in Italy and targeting European hake in the Strait of Sicily (General Fisheries
Commission for the Mediterranean geographical subareas 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16), is deemed to have been reached
for 2023.
(3) It is therefore necessary to prohibit certain fishing activities for that stock group,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Effort exhaustion
The maximum allowable fishing effort allocated to Italy for bottom trawl vessels targeting European hake in the Strait of
Sicily (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean geographical subareas 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16) for 2023
referred to in the Annex shall be deemed to be reached from the date set out in that Annex.
Article 2
Prohibitions
Fishing activities for the stock referred to in Article 1 by bottom trawl vessels flying the flag of or registered in Italy shall be
prohibited from the date set out in the Annex. In particular it shall be prohibited to retain on board, relocate, tranship or
land fish from that stock caught by those vessels after that date.
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.
(1) OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1.
(2) Council Regulation (EU) 2023/195 of 30 January 2023 fixing for 2023 the fishing opportunities for certain stocks and groups of fish
stocks applicable in the Mediterranean and Black Seas and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/110 as regards the fishing opportunities
for 2022 applicable in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas (OJ L 28, 31.1.2023, p. 220).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2604/oj 1/3EN
OJ L, 17.11.2023
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 15 November 2023.
For the Commission,
On behalf of the President,
Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS
Member of the Commission
2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2604/ojEN
OJ L, 17.11.2023
ANNEX
No 14/TQ195
Member State Italy
Fishing effort group code EFF4/MED4_OTB2
Stock group European hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Strait of Sicily (GSAs
12-13-14-15-16)
Vessels concerned Bottom trawl vessels T-10
Closing date 10 October 2023
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/2604/oj 3/3