Council Regulation (EC) No 41/2006Show full title

8. The TAC and quotas for sandeel in ICES zone IIIa and in EC waters of ICES zones IIa and IV as laid down in Annex I shall be revised by the Commission as early as possible based on advice from ICES and the STECF on the size of the 2006 year class of North Sea sandeel, in accordance with the following rules:

(a)

where ICES and the STECF estimates the size of the 2006 year class of North Sea sandeel to be equal to or smaller than 150 000 million individuals at age 1, fishing with demersal trawl, seine or similar towed gears with a mesh size of less than 16 mm shall be prohibited for the remainder of 2007. However, a limited fishery may be allowed in order to monitor the sandeel stocks in ICES zones IIIa and IV and the effects of the closure. To this end the Member States concerned shall, in cooperation with the Commission, develop a plan for the monitoring of this limited fishery;

(b)

where ICES and the STEFC estimates the size of the 2006 year class of North Sea sandeel to be greater than 150 000 million at age 1, the TAC (in 1 000 t) shall be established according to the following function:

TAC₂₀₀₇ = - 597 + (4,073*N₁)

where N1 means the real-time estimate of age group 1 in billions and the TAC is in 1 000 t;

(c)

notwithstanding point 7(b), the TAC shall not exceed 400 000 tonnes.

(d)

The Commission Regulation on the revision of the TAC and quotas for sandeel in ICES zone IIIa and in EC waters of ICES zones IIa and IV following the scientific advice referred to in the points (a) and (b) shall be applicable as from the date of publication of a notice by the Commission in the Official Journal of the European Union setting out the required revision.