Council Regulation (EU) 2016/73 of 18 January 2016 fixing for 2016 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks in the Black Sea

This Regulation fixes the fishing opportunities for 2016 for fish stocks of the following species in the Black Sea: (a) Turbot (Psetta maxima); (b) Sprat (Sprattus sprattus).

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

For the purposes of this Regulation, definitions set out in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 shall apply. In addition, the following definitions shall apply: (a) ‘Black Sea’ means the geographical sub-area 29 as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council ; (b) ‘fishing vessel’ means any vessel equipped for commercial exploitation of marine biological resources; (c) ‘Union fishing vessel’ means a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State and registered in the Union; (d) ‘total allowable catch’ (TAC) means: (i) in fisheries subject to the landing obligation referred to in Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the quantity that can be caught from each stock each year; (ii) in all other fisheries, the quantity that can be landed 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 for Union fishing vessels, the allocation of such TACs among Member States, and the 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 16(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013; (b) deductions and reallocations made pursuant to Article 37 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009; (c) additional landings allowed in accordance with Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013; (d) quantities withheld in accordance with Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013; (e) deductions made pursuant to Articles 105 and 107 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

Catches and by-catches of turbot in fisheries not subject to the landing obligation shall be retained on board or landed only if they have been taken by Union fishing vessels flying the flag of a Member State having a quota and that quota is not 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 that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It shall apply from 1 January 2016.