Commission Implementing Decision of 24 May 2011 establishing a specific control and inspection programme for pelagic fisheries in Western Waters of the North East Atlantic (notified under document C(2011) 3415) (Only the Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, French, German, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish texts are authentic) (2011/310/EU)

Commission Implementing Decision

of 24 May 2011

establishing a specific control and inspection programme for pelagic fisheries in Western Waters of the North East Atlantic

(notified under document C(2011) 3415)

(Only the Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, French, German, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish texts are authentic)

(2011/310/EU)

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 Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy, amending Regulations (EC) No 847/96, (EC) No 2371/2002, (EC) No 811/2004, (EC) No 768/2005, (EC) No 2115/2005, (EC) No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 1300/2008, (EC) No 1342/2008 and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 2847/93, (EC) No 1627/94 and (EC) No 1966/2006(1), and in particular Article 95 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Fisheries exploiting herring, mackerel, horse mackerel, anchovy and blue whiting stocks (hereinafter referred to as ‘pelagic fisheries’) in EU waters of ICES zones V to IX (hereinafter referred to as ‘Western Waters’) are subject to conservation and control measures provided for, inter alia:

• by Regulation (EU) No 1236/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2010 laying down a scheme of control and enforcement applicable in the area covered by the Convention on future multilateral cooperation in the North-East Atlantic fisheries(2),

• by Council Regulation (EC) No 1300/2008 of 18 December 2008 establishing a multi-annual plan for the stock of herring distributed to the west of Scotland and the fisheries exploiting that stock(3),

• by Council Regulation (EU) No 57/2011 of 18 January 2011 fixing for 2011 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in EU waters and, for EU vessels, in certain non-EU waters(4).

(2) Landings of quantities exceeding 10 tonnes of herring, mackerel and horse mackerel caught in ICES zones I to X, XII and XIV and EU waters of CECAF are subject to procedures laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1542/2007(5).

(3) As a general rule, pelagic fishing activities in Western Waters, including landings and transhipments of pelagic species are subject to the control measures laid down by Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

(4) In order to ensure, at Union level, the uniform and effective application of those conservation and control measures, it is necessary to establish a specific control and inspection programme involving Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Spain, France, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.

(5) That specific control and inspection programme should be set up for the period from the entry into force of this Decision to 31 December 2012.

(6) The specific control and inspection programme should include common rules for the control and inspection activities to be carried out by the competent authorities of the Member States concerned. Those rules should establish benchmarks for the intensity of control and inspection activities as well as control and inspection priorities and procedures. The Member States concerned shall adopt the necessary measures in accordance with those common rules.

(7) Where a large part of the catches by pelagic fisheries is exported to third countries, it is appropriate to extend control and inspection activities throughout the whole chain, including trade.

(8) Joint inspection and surveillance activities between Member States should be carried out, where applicable, in accordance with a Joint Deployment Plan established by the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA) pursuant to Article 9 of Council Regulation (EC) No 768/2005(6).

(9) The results obtained by the application of the specific control and inspection programme should be periodically evaluated by the Member States concerned, where possible by the CFCA.

(10) The measures provided for in this Decision have been established in concert with the Member States concerned.

(11) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

(1)

OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1.

(2)

OJ L 348, 31.12.2010, p. 17.

(3)

OJ L 344, 20.12.2008, p. 6.

(4)

OJ L 24, 27.1.2011, p. 1.

(5)

OJ L 337, 21.12.2007, p. 56.

(6)

OJ L 128, 21.5.2005, p. 1.