Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

[F1 Article 3A U.K. General prohibitions: UK boats, bluefin tuna traps and farming

1. In waters of the ICCAT Convention area, it is prohibited for a UK boat to be used for the purposes of the commercial exploitation of bluefin tuna resources unless the boat is a UK fishing boat which is—

(a) in possession of a valid licence granted under section 15 of the Fisheries Act 2020, and

(b) not—

(i) a processing boat,

(ii) used for the purposes of towing a live bluefin tuna cage or for transporting bluefin tuna to or from a live bluefin tuna cage, or

(iii) used for the purposes of operating a bluefin tuna trap or transporting bluefin tuna from a bluefin tuna trap.

2. The use of bluefin tuna traps is prohibited in waters of the United Kingdom zone.

3. Bluefin tuna farming is prohibited in waters of the United Kingdom zone.

4. In this Article—

• “bluefin tuna trap” means fixed gear anchored to the sea bed, usually containing a guide net that leads bluefin tuna into an enclosure or series of enclosures where it is kept prior to harvesting;

• “the commercial exploitation of bluefin tuna resources” does not include the transportation of bluefin tuna products by container vessels;

• “farming” means the caging of bluefin tuna in farms and the subsequent feeding with the aim of increasing their total biomass; and for this purpose “farm” means an installation used for farming bluefin tuna caught by fishing boats or by bluefin tuna traps;

• “a processing boat” means a boat where fisheries products caught by other vessels, or by bluefin tuna traps, are subject to one or more of the following operations on board: filleting or slicing, freezing and/or processing; and for this purpose “processing” has the same meaning as in section 52 of the Fisheries Act 2020;

• “UK boat” means a powered boat—

  (a)

  which is registered in the United Kingdom under Part 2 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, or

  (b)

  which is British-owned (within the meaning of section 52 of the Fisheries Act 2020).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Arts. 3-3B substituted for Art. 3 (1.4.2024) by The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 6(4)