CHAPTER III

TECHNICAL MEASURES
SECTION 1

Fishing seasons

Fishing seasons
Article 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Baitboats and trolling boats
Article 12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 2

Minimum conservation reference size, incidental catch, by-catch

The landing obligation
Article 13
Unless otherwise stated, the provisions of this Regulation are without prejudice to Article 15 of Regulation ... 1380/2013 ....

Minimum conservation reference size
Article 14
1
The minimum conservation reference size for bluefin tuna specified in Part A of Annexes 5, 6 and 7 of Regulation 2019/1241 (north sea, north western waters and south western waters) also applies to all UK fishing boats fishing anywhere in the ICCAT Convention area.
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
In derogation from Article 15(1) of
Regulation 1380/2013
(landing obligation) and subject to paragraph 6, it is prohibited for any fishing boat fishing in waters of the United Kingdom zone or for a UK fishing boat fishing in waters of the ICCAT Convention area to target, retain on board, tranship or land any bluefin tuna which is below the minimum conservation reference size applied by
Regulation 2019/1241
or by paragraph 1.
6
Paragraph 5 applies to an ICCAT authorised fishing boat with the exception that such a boat may retain on board, tranship or land incidental catches of bluefin tuna below the minimum conservation reference size referred to in that paragraph provided—
a
no single bluefin tuna is retained on board which is below 8kg or which has a fork length of less than 75cm, and
b
no more than 5%, in number of fish, of the total number of bluefin tuna retained on board the fishing boat at any time during each fishing trip are below that minimum conservation reference size.
7
Whether bluefin tuna caught below the minimum conservation reference size are discarded or retained on board, they must all be counted against catch quota.
8
In this Article “fork length” is measured in accordance with Annex 4 of
Regulation 2019/1241
.

Incidental catches
Article 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

By-catches
Article 16
1
By-catches of bluefin tuna caught by fishing boats in waters of the United Kingdom zone or by UK fishing boats in waters of the ICCAT Convention area must—
a
where reasonably possible, in derogation from Article 15(1) of
Regulation 1380/2013
(landing obligation), be returned alive unharmed to the sea, or
b
for dead bluefin tuna retained on board, be stored clearly separate from any other fish species.
2
In derogation from Article 15(1) of
Regulation 1380/2013
, fishing boats fishing in waters of the United Kingdom zone or UK fishing boats fishing in waters of the ICCAT Convention area must not retain on board by-catches of bluefin tuna in excess of 20% of the live weight of total catches retained on board the fishing boat at the end of each fishing trip.
3
By-catches of bluefin tuna caught by UK fishing boats in the ICCAT Convention area which are retained on board must not be used for direct human consumption unless the boat is authorised to sell by-catches of bluefin tuna in its licence granted under section 15 of the Fisheries Act 2020 and sufficient catch quota is still available
4
Whether by-catches of bluefin tuna are discarded or retained on board, they must all be counted against catch quota.
SECTION 3

Use of aerial means

Use of aerial means
Article 17
1.
The use of any aerial means, including aircraft, helicopters or any types of unmanned aerial vehicles for searching for bluefin tuna in waters of the United Kingdom zone in order to assist a fishing boat with the targeting of bluefin tuna is prohibited.
2.
The use of such aerial means in waters outside of the United Kingdom zone but within the ICCAT Convention area is prohibited where such use is intended to assist a UK fishing boat with the targeting of bluefin tuna.
Words in Art. 13 omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Common Fisheries Policy and Aquaculture (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/753), regs. 1, 8(4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Ch. 3 s. 1 omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 6(9)
Words in Art. 13 substituted (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(10)(a)
Words in Art. 13 omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 6(10)(b)
Art. 14(2) omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 6(11)(b)
Art. 14(3) omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 6(11)(b)
Art. 14(4) omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 6(11)(b)
Art. 14(5)-(8) inserted (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(11)(c)
Words in Art. 14(1) substituted (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(11)(a)
Art. 15 omitted (1.4.2024) by virtue of The Sea Fisheries (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/439), regs. 1(1), 6(12)
Art. 16 substituted (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(13)
Art. 17(2) inserted (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(14)(c)
Art. 17 renumbered as Art. 17(1) (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(14)(a)
Words in Art. 17(1) substituted (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(14)(b)