Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2460 of 22 August 2023 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the establishment of a de minimis exemption to the landing obligation for certain small pelagic fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea

The landing obligation provided for in Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 shall apply in Union waters of the Mediterranean Sea in accordance with this Regulation.

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply: (a) ‘species subject to a minimum size’ means any species listed in Annex IX to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241; (b) ‘Mediterranean Sea’ means maritime waters of the Mediterranean to the east of line 5°36′ West; (c) ‘GFCM Geographical Sub-Area’ means General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) Geographical Sub-Area as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council ; (d) ‘western Mediterranean Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.1, 11.2 and 12; (e) ‘south-eastern Mediterranean Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 25; (f) ‘Adriatic Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 17 and 18; (g) ‘Southern Adriatic and Ionian Sea’ means GFCM Geographical Sub-Areas 18, 19 and 20.

By way of derogation from Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the following quantities of species may be discarded pursuant to Article 15(4), point (c) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013: for anchovy, sardine, mackerel and horse mackerel, up to 5 % of the total annual catches of those species caught by vessels using mid-water trawls and purse seines in the western Mediterranean Sea (GSAs 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.1, 11.2 and 12); for anchovy, sardine, mackerel and horse mackerel, up to 5 % of the total annual catches of those species caught by vessels using mid-water trawls in the Adriatic Sea (GSAs 17 and 18); for anchovy, sardine, mackerel and horse mackerel, up to 3 % of the total annual catches of those species caught by vessels using purse seines in the Adriatic Sea (GSAs 17 and 18); for anchovy, sardine, mackerel and horse mackerel, up to 1 % of the total annual catches of those species caught by vessels using mid-water trawls in the south – eastern Mediterranean (GSAs 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 25); for anchovy, sardine, mackerel and horse mackerel, up to 3 % of the total annual catches of those species caught by vessels using purse seine in the south-eastern Mediterranean (GSAs 20, 22 and 23); for anchovy, sardine, mackerel and horse mackerel, up to 1 % of the total annual catches of those species caught by vessels using purse seine in the south-eastern Mediterranean (GSAs 15, 16, 19 and 25).

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 2024 until 31 December 2027.