Pursuant to Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, fisheries conservation measures may be adopted that are necessary for the purpose of complying with their obligations under Union environmental legislation, including Article 6 of Council Directive 92/43/EEC2.

Article 6 of Council Directive 92/43/EEC requires Member States to establish the necessary conservation measures for Special Areas of Conservation that correspond to the ecological requirements of natural habitat types and species present on the sites. It also requires Member States to take appropriate steps to avoid, in the Special Areas of Conservation, the deterioration of natural habitats and the habitats of species as well as significant disturbance of the species for which the areas have been designated.

Denmark considered that, for the purpose of complying with Article 6 of Directive 92/43/EEC, conservation measures needed to be adopted in certain areas under its sovereignty in the Baltic Sea. If necessary fisheries conservation measures affect the fishery of other Member States, the Member States may submit these measures in joint recommendations to the Commission.

Germany and Sweden have a direct management interest in the fishery to be affected by such measures. In accordance with Article 11(3) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, Denmark provided Germany and Sweden with relevant information on the measures required, including their rationale, scientific evidence in support and details on their practical implementation and enforcement.

On 13 March 2015 Denmark, Germany and Sweden submitted to the Commission a joint recommendation for fisheries conservation measures to protect reef structures in Danish Natura 2000 sites in the Baltic Sea. This recommendation was submitted after having consulted the Baltic Sea Advisory Council.

The recommended measures concerned seven Natura 2000 sites in the Baltic Sea. They comprised the prohibition of fishing activities with mobile bottom contacting gear in reef zones.

In its scientific advice, the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries (‘STECF’)3 stated on 17 April 2015 that the conservation objectives within the Special Areas of Conservation referred to in the joint recommendation could not be fully achieved without appropriate measures to prevent fishing activity in the areas.

STECF identified some concerns as regards the control and enforcement of the conservation measures and considered that additional control measures may be appropriate. In accordance with Article 5 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/20094 Member States are required to adopt appropriate measures, allocate adequate resources and set up the structures necessary for ensuring control, inspection and enforcement of activities carried out within the scope of the common fisheries policy (CFP). This may include measures such as the requirement of submitting vessels monitoring systems (VMS) positions with increased frequency by all vessels concerned or identifying the areas as high risk in the national control system based on risk management, addressing the concerns of STECF.

On 25 June 2015, the Commission adopted Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/17785 in order to establish fisheries conservation measures for the protection of the relevant reef zones in the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat, North Sea, on the basis of two joint recommendations submitted by the Member States concerned.

Fishing activity with mobile bottom contacting gear has a negative impact on reef habitats, as such activity affects both the reef structures and the biodiversity found at the reefs. Therefore the prohibition to fish with such gears in the relevant reef areas, as set out in the joint recommendations, was included in that Regulation.

It was appropriate to ensure the assessment of the measures established by that Regulation, in particular as regards the control of compliance with fishing prohibitions.

On 10 June 2016, having consulted the North Sea Advisory Council, Denmark, Germany and Sweden submitted to the Commission a joint recommendation for fisheries conservation measures to protect reef structures, pockmarks and sea-pen and burrowing megafauna communities in the Bratten area located in the Skagerrak (North Sea).

Following that new joint recommendation, it is appropriate to repeal Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/1778 and to rearrange the conservation measures by sea basin into two different legal instruments.

This Regulation should only comprise the conservation fisheries measures which are currently applicable in the Baltic Sea.

The conservation measures which are currently applicable in the Kattegat and those suggested for the Bratten area (Skagerrak) by the joint recommendation of 10 June 2016 should be included in a new separate Regulation concerning the North Sea.

The fisheries conservation measures established by this Regulation are without prejudice to any other existing or future management measures aiming at the conservation of the sites concerned, including fisheries conservation measures,