Article 2Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2020/123

Regulation (EU) 2020/123 is amended as follows:

  1. (a)

    in Article 10, paragraph 6 is replaced by the following:

    ‘6.

    In recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 8a and 8b, a maximum of two specimens of European seabass may be caught and retained per fisherman per day. The minimum size of European seabass retained shall be 42 cm. This paragraph shall not apply to fixed nets, which may not be used to catch or retain European seabass.’;

  2. (b)

    the following Article is inserted:

    ‘Article 28aMobulid rays

    1.

    It shall be prohibited for Union fishing vessels to fish for, to retain on board, to tranship, to land, to store, to offer for sale or to sell any part or whole carcass of Mobulid rays (Mobulidae family which includes the genera Manta and Mobula), except for fishing vessels carrying out subsistence fishery (where the fish caught are consumed directly by the families of the fishermen).

    By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, Mobulid rays that are unintentionally caught by artisanal fishing (fisheries other than longline or surface fisheries, i.e. purse seines, pole and line, gillnet fisheries, handline and trolling vessels, and registered in the IOTC record of authorised vessels) may be landed for purposes of local consumption only.

    2.

    All fishing vessels, other than those carrying out subsistence fishery, shall promptly release alive and unharmed, to the extent practicable, Mobulid rays as soon as they are seen in the net, on the hook, or on the deck, and shall do so in a manner that will result in the least possible harm to the individuals captured.’;

  3. (c)

    Article 30 is deleted;

  4. (d)

    Annexes IA, ID, IK and VI are amended in accordance with Annex II to this Regulation.