Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/1944
of 28 October 2015
amending Implementing Decision 2012/807/EU establishing a specific control and inspection programme for pelagic fisheries in Western Waters of the North East Atlantic
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Whereas:
It is appropriate to maintain the specific control and inspection programme till 31 December 2018 to ensure a level playing field during the introduction of the landing obligation.
During the Consultations between Norway, the Union and the Faroe Islands on the Management of Mackerel for 2015, the benchmarks for the inspection of landings of herring, mackerel and horse mackerel have been reduced significantly because from now on this is based on risk assessment, and their application has been extended to landings of blue whiting. The target benchmarks in Annex II of Implementing Decision 2012/807/EU should therefore be amended accordingly.
The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Implementing Decision 2012/807/EU is amended as follows:
- (1)
The Title is replaced by the following:
‘Commission Implementing Decision 2012/807/EU of 19 December 2012 establishing a specific control and inspection programme for pelagic fisheries in Western Waters of the North East Atlantic and in the Northern North Sea’
- (2)
Article 1 is replaced by the following:
‘Article 1Subject matter
This Decision establishes a specific control and inspection programme applicable to the stocks of mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, boarfish, anchovy, argentine, sardine and sprat in EU waters of ICES sub-areas V, VI, VII, VIII and IX and in EU waters of CECAF 34.1.11 (hereafter referred to as “Western Waters”), as well as to mackerel and herring in EU waters of ICES division IVa (hereafter referred to as “the Northern North Sea”).’
- (3)
In Article 2, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:
‘2.
The specific control and inspection programme shall apply until 31 December 2018.’
- (4)
In Article 3(2) point (b) is replaced by the following:
‘(b)
reporting obligations applicable to fishing activities in Western Waters and in the Northern North Sea, in particular the reliability of the information recorded and reported;’
- (5)
In Article 3(2), point (c) is replaced by the following:
- (6)
In Article 12, the following paragraph is added:
‘3.
As from 2016 onwards, Member States shall communicate the information referred to in paragraph 1 on an annual basis, by the 31 January after each calendar year.’
- (7)
Annex II is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 28 October 2015.
For the Commission
The President
Jean-Claude Juncker
ANNEX
Annex II to Implementing Decision 2012/807/EU is replaced by the following:
‘ANNEX IITARGET BENCHMARKS
1.Level of inspections at sea (including aerial surveillance, where applicable)
On a yearly basis, the following target benchmarks12 shall be reached for the inspections at sea of fishing vessels engaged in the fishery of herring, mackerel, horse mackerel, anchovy and blue whiting in the area, in the case that inspections at sea are relevant in relation to the step in the fishery chain and are part of the risk management strategy:
Level of estimated risk for fishing vessels in accordance with Article 5(2)
high
very high
Fishery No 1
Herring, mackerel and horse mackerel
Inspection at sea of at least 5 % of fishing trips by “high risk” level fishing vessels targeting the fishery in question
Inspection at sea of at least 7,5 % of fishing trips by “very high risk” level fishing vessels targeting the fishery in question
Fishery No 2
Anchovy
Inspection at sea of at least 2,5 % of fishing trips by “high risk” level fishing vessels targeting the fishery in question
Inspection at sea of at least 5 % of fishing trips by “very high risk” level fishing vessels targeting the fishery in question
Fishery No 3
Blue whiting
Inspection at sea of at least 5 % of fishing trips by “high risk” level fishing vessels targeting the fishery in question
Inspection at sea of at least 7,5 % of fishing trips by “very high risk” level fishing vessels targeting the fishery in question
2.Level of inspections ashore (including document based controls and inspections in ports or at first sale)
On a yearly basis, the following target benchmarks14 shall be reached for the inspections ashore (including document based controls and inspections in ports or at first sale) of fishing vessels and other operators engaged in the fishery of herring, mackerel, horse mackerel, anchovy and blue whiting in the area, in the case that inspections ashore are relevant in relation to the step in the fishery/marketing chain and are part of the risk management strategy.
Level of risk for fishing vessels and/or other operators (first buyer)
high
very high
Fishery No 1
Herring, mackerel and horse mackerel
Inspection in port of at least 7,5 % of overall landed quantities by “high risk” level fishing vessels
Inspection in port of at least 7,5 % of overall landed quantities by “very high risk” level fishing vessels
Fishery No 2
Anchovy
Inspection in port of at least 2,5 % of overall landed quantities by “high risk” level fishing vessels
Inspection in port of at least 5 % of overall landed quantities by “very high risk” level fishing vessels
Fishery No 3
Blue whiting
Inspection in port of at least 7,5 % of overall landed quantities by “high risk” level fishing vessels
Inspection in port of at least 7,5 % of overall landed quantities by “very high risk” level fishing vessels
Inspections made after landing or transhipment shall in particular be used as a complementary cross-checking mechanism to verify the reliability of the information recorded and reported on catches and landings.’