Council Regulation (EU) No 1261/2012 of 20 December 2012 fixing for 2013 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Black Sea

This Regulation fixes the fishing opportunities for 2013 for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks in the Black Sea.

This Regulation shall apply to EU vessels operating in the Black Sea.

For the purposes of this Regulation the following definitions shall apply: (a) ‘GFCM’ means General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean; (b) ‘Black Sea’ means geographical sub-area 29 as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area and in the resolution GFCM/33/2009/2; (c) ‘EU vessel’ means a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State and registered in the Union; (d) ‘total allowable catch (TAC)’ means the quantity that can be taken from each stock each year; (e) ‘quota’ means a proportion of the TAC allocated to the Union, a Member State or a third country.

The TACs, the allocation of such TACs among Member States, and conditions functionally linked thereto, where appropriate, are set out in the Annex.

The allocation of fishing opportunities among Member States as set out in this Regulation shall be without prejudice to: (a) exchanges made pursuant to Article 20(5) of Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002; (b) deductions and reallocations made pursuant to Article 37 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009; (c) additional landings allowed pursuant to Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96; (d) quantities withheld in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96; (e) deductions made pursuant to Articles 105 and 107 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

Fish from stocks for which fishing opportunities are fixed by this Regulation shall be retained on board or landed only if: (a) the catches have been taken by vessels of a Member State having a quota and that quota is not exhausted; or (b) the catches consist of a share in a Union quota which has not been allocated by quota among Member States, and that Union quota has not been exhausted.

When, pursuant to Articles 33 and 34 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, Member States send the Commission data relating to landings of quantities of stocks caught, they shall use the stock codes set out in the Annex to this Regulation.

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from 1 January 2013.