THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/67/EEC of 28 January 1991 concerning the animal health conditions governing the placing on the market of aquaculture animals and products, and in particular Article 5 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Commission Decision 2002/300/EC of 18 April 2002 establishing the list of approved zones with regard to Bonamia ostreae and/or Marteilia refringes
lays down the areas in the Community considered to be free of the mollusc diseases Bonamia ostreae and/or Marteilia refringens.
(2)
Ireland and the United Kingdom informed the Commission by letters of June 2005 that Bonamia ostreae has been detected in Lough Foyle, a shared coastal water area on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. That area was previously considered to be free of Bonamia ostreae but can therefore no longer be regarded as free of that disease.
(3)
In addition, Ireland has submitted a request for an amendment to the list of zones in Ireland approved with regard to Bonamia ostreae in Decision 2002/300/EC, in order to make the geographical description of one of the areas affected by that disease more precise. Accordingly, the description ‘Logmore, Belmullet’ should be replaced by ‘Loughmore, Blacksod Bay’.
(4)
Decision 2002/300/EC should be amended accordingly.
(5)
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: