Council Regulation (EU) No 315/2014
of 24 March 2014
amending Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 as regards certain catch limits

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43(3) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1) Catch limits for sandeel in Union waters of ICES zones IIa, IIIa and IV were set at zero in Annex IA to Council Regulation (EU) No 43/2014, pending advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
Council Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 of 20 January 2014 fixing for 2014 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, to Union vessels, in certain non-Union waters (OJ L 24, 28.1.2014, p. 1).
(2) ICES advice on the stock has been available since 21 February 2014, and it is now possible to set a TAC for sandeel in this area, distributed in seven management areas in order to avoid local depletion.
(3) Fishing opportunities for Union vessels in Norwegian and Faroese waters and for Norwegian and Faroese vessels in Union waters, and the conditions of access to fishery resources in each other’s waters, are established each year in the light of consultations on fishing rights held in accordance with the bilateral agreements on fisheries with Norway and the Faroe Islands, respectively. Pending the conclusion of those consultations on the arrangements for 2014, Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 fixed provisional fishing opportunities for certain stocks of blue whiting. On 12 March 2014, the consultations with Norway and the Faroe Islands were concluded, including those related to blue whiting.
Agreement on fisheries between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway (OJ L 226, 29.8.1980, p. 48).
Agreement on fisheries between the European Economic Community, of the one part, and the Government of Denmark and the Home Government of the Faroe Islands, of the other part (OJ L 226, 29.8.1980, p. 12).
(4) Annex IA to Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(5) The catch limits provided for in Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 apply from 1 January 2014. The provisions of this Regulation concerning catch limits should therefore also apply from that date. Such retroactive application is without prejudice to the principles of legal certainty and protection of legitimate expectations as the fishing opportunities concerned were set to zero in the Regulation (EU) No 43/2014. Since the modification of this catch limit has an influence on the economic activities and the planning of the fishing season of Union vessels, this Regulation should enter into force immediately after its publication,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1 Amendment to Regulation (EU) No 43/2014
Annex IA to Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 is amended in accordance with the text set out in Annex to this Regulation.

Article 2 Entry into force and application
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2014.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 24 March 2014.
For the Council
The President
A.. Tsaftaris
ANNEX Annex IA to Regulation (EU) No 43/2014 is amended as follows:
(a) the entry for Sandeel in Union waters of ICES zones IIa, IIIa and IV is replaced by the following:

‘SpeciesSandeelAmmodytes spp.		ZoneUnion waters of IIa, IIIa and IV Excluding waters within six nautical miles of the UK baselines at Shetland, Fair Isle and Foula.
Denmark	195 471 At least 98 % of landings counted against this quota shall be of sandeel. By-catches of dab, mackerel and whiting to be counted against the remaining 2 % of the quota (OT1/*2A3A4).	Analytical TAC Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
United Kingdom	4 273	
Germany	298	
Sweden	7 177	
Union	207 219	
TAC	207 219	

Special condition:
within the limits of the abovementioned quotas, no more than the quantities given below may be taken in the following sandeel management areas, as defined in Annex IID:
ZoneUnion waters of sandeel management areas							
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	(SAN/234_1)	(SAN/234_2)	(SAN/234_3)	(SAN/234_4)	(SAN/234_5)	(SAN/234_6)	(SAN/234_7)
Denmark	53 769	4 717	132 062	4 717	0	206	0
United Kingdom	1 175	103	2 887	103	0	5	0
Germany	82	7	202	7	0	0	0
Sweden	1 974	173	4 849	173	0	8	0
Union	57 000	5 000	140 000	5 000	0	219	0
							
Total	57 000	5 000	140 000	5 000	0	219	0’

(b) the entry for blue whiting in Norwegian waters of II and IV is replaced by the following:

‘SpeciesBlue whitingMicromesistius poutassou		ZoneNorwegian waters of II and IV(WHB/24-N.)
Denmark	0	Analytical TAC
United Kingdom	0	
Union	0	
TAC	1 200 000	’

(c) the entry for blue whiting in Union and international waters of I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIIIa, VIIIb, VIIId, VIIIe, XII and XIV is replaced by the following:

‘SpeciesBlue whitingMicromesistius poutassou		ZoneUnion and international waters of I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIIIa, VIIIb, VIIId, VIIIe, XII and XIV(WHB/1X14)
Denmark	28 325 Special condition: of which up to the following percentage may be fished in Norwegian Economic Zone or in the fishery zone around Jan Mayen (WHB/*NZJM1): 0 %	Analytical TAC
Germany	11 013	
Spain	24 013 Transfers of this quota may be effected to VIIIc, IX and X; Union waters of CECAF 34.1.1. However, such transfers shall be notified in advance to the Commission.	
France	19 712	
Ireland	21 934	
The Netherlands	34 539	
Portugal	2 231	
Sweden	7 007	
United Kingdom	36 751	
Union	185 525 Special condition: of which up to the following quantity may be fished in Faroese waters (WHB/*05-F.): 25 000’;	
Norway	100 000	
Faroe Islands	15 000	
TAC	1 200 000	

(d) the entry for blue whiting in VIIIc, IX and X; Union waters of CECAF 34.1.1 is replaced by the following:

‘SpeciesBlue whitingMicromesistius poutassou		ZoneVIIIc, IX and X; Union waters of CECAF 34.1.1(WHB/8C3411)
Spain	24 658	Analytical TAC
Portugal	6 165	
Union	30 823 Special condition: of which up to the following percentage may be fished in Norwegian EEZ or in the fishery zone around Jan Mayen (WHB/*NZJM2): 0 %’;	
TAC	1 200 000	

(e) the entry for blue whiting in Union waters of II, IVa, V, VI north of 56° 30′ N and VII west of 12° W is replaced by the following:

‘SpeciesBlue whitingMicromesistius poutassou		ZoneUnion waters of II, IVa, V, VI north of 56° 30′ N and VII west of 12° W(WHB/24A567)
Norway	0 To be counted against Norway’s catch limits established under the Coastal States arrangement. Special condition: the catch in IV shall be no more than the following amount (WHB/*04A-C): 0 This catch limit in IV amounts to the following percentage of Norway’s access quota: 0 %	Analytical TAC
Faroe Islands	25 000 To be counted against the catch limits of the Faroe Islands. Special conditions: may also be fished in VIb (WHB/*06B-C). The catch in IVa shall be no more than 6 250 tonnes (WHB/*04A-C).’	
TAC	1 200 000	