2012/638/EU: Commission Implementing Decision of 24 September 2012 confirming measures proposed by the Netherlands for the protection of marine areas of conservation in the North Sea Coastal Zone, the Vlakte van de Raan and the Voordelta (notified under document C(2012) 6510)

The measures proposed by the Netherlands for the conservation of marine ecosystems in the North Sea Coastal Zone, the Vlakte van de Raan and the Voordelta, as set out in Annexes I, II and III, are hereby confirmed subject to the following adjustments to Annex I: (a) inclusion as appropriate in the body of the decree that the entry notification applies also to the Voordelta; (b) inclusion of the option for equipped vessels to make use of the electronic reporting system and the vessel monitoring system for entry notification purposes for the special areas of conservation concerned.

This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

It shall be prohibited to fish with: a. trawl nets with or without tickler chains in the Eastern Scheldt east of the Eastern Scheldt dam, and b. trawl nets with tickler chains in the areas mentioned in Annexes 3a, 3b and 5.

1 A licence within the meaning of Article 33 shall not be granted for: a. Fishing in the area mentioned in annex 3; b. Fishing with fishing gear fit for the catching of shellfish in the areas mentioned in annex 3, 3a, 3b and 5 and c. Fishing with fishing gear fit for the catching of shrimps in the areas mentioned in annex 3a, 3b and 6.

2 By way of derogation from the first paragraph, introduction and part b of this Article, a licence can be granted for fishing cockles without mechanical means in the areas mentioned in annex 5a.

This regulation shall enter into force on the day following the day of its publication in the Official Gazette. This regulation, the annex and the explanatory note shall be published in the Official Gazette.

The amendments made with this regulation are aimed at the closure of areas to shrimp fishing (parts B and C) and seabed fishing (part A). The closure affects areas identified in the annex inserted by Part D.