Council Regulation (EU) 2022/110 of 27 January 2022 fixing for 2022 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks applicable in the Mediterranean and Black Seas

TITLE I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Subject matter

This Regulation fixes for 2022 the fishing opportunities available in the Mediterranean and Black Seas for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks.

Article 2

Scope

This Regulation applies to Union fishing vessels exploiting the following fish stocks:

(a) European eel (Anguilla anguilla), red coral (Corallium rubrum) and common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) in the Mediterranean Sea, as defined in Article 4(b);

(b) blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus), deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris), giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea), European hake (Merluccius merluccius), Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) and red mullet (Mullus barbatus) in the western Mediterranean Sea, as defined in Article 4(c);

(c) anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and sardine (Sardina pilchardus) in the Adriatic Sea, as defined in Article 4(d);

(d) European hake (Merluccius merluccius), Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), common sole (Solea solea), deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris), red mullet (Mullus barbatus) in the Adriatic Sea, as defined in Article 4(d);

(e) giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea) and blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) in the Strait of Sicily as defined in Article 4(e), in the Ionian Sea as defined in Article 4(f) and in the Levant Sea as defined in Article 4(g);

(f) blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) in the Alboran Sea, as defined in Article 4(h);

(g) sprat (Sprattus sprattus) and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) in the Black Sea, as defined in Article 4(i).

Article 3

Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the definitions laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 apply. In addition, the following definitions apply:

(a) ‘international waters’ means waters falling outside the sovereignty or jurisdiction of any State;

(b) ‘recreational fisheries’ means non-commercial fishing activities exploiting marine living aquatic resources for recreation, tourism or sport;

(c) ‘total allowable catch’ (TAC) means: (i) in fisheries subject to the exemption of the landing obligation referred to in Article 15(4) to (7) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the quantity of fish that can be landed from each stock each year; (ii) in all other fisheries, the quantity of fish that can be caught from each stock over the period of a year;

(d) ‘quota’ means a proportion of the TAC allocated to the Union or a Member State;

(e) ‘Union autonomous quota’ means a catch limit autonomously allocated to Union fishing vessels in the absence of an agreed TAC;

(f) ‘analytical quota’ means a Union autonomous quota for which an analytical assessment is available;

(g) ‘analytical assessment’ means a quantitative evaluation of trends in a given stock, based on data about the stock’s biology and exploitation, which scientific review has indicated to be of sufficient quality to provide scientific advice on options for future catches;

(h) ‘fish aggregating device’ (FAD) means any anchored equipment floating on the sea surface with the objective of attracting fish.

Article 4

Fishing zones

For the purposes of this Regulation, the following zone definitions apply:

(a) ‘GFCM geographical subareas’ mean the areas defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(b) ‘Mediterranean Sea’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subareas 1 to 27, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(c) ‘Western Mediterranean Sea’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subareas 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(d) ‘Adriatic Sea’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subareas 17 and 18, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(e) ‘Strait of Sicily’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subareas 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(f) ‘Ionian Sea’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subareas 19, 20 and 21, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(g) ‘Levant Sea’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subareas 24, 25, 26 and 27, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(h) ‘Alboran Sea’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subareas 1 to 3, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011;

(i) ‘Black Sea’ means the waters in GFCM geographical subarea 29, as defined in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011.

TITLE II

FISHING OPPORTUNITIES

CHAPTER I

Mediterranean Sea

Article 5

European eel

Article 6

Red coral

Article 7

Common dolphinfish

CHAPTER II

Western Mediterranean Sea

Article 8

Demersal stocks

Special provisions on allocation of fishing opportunities:

(a) The allocation of fishing opportunities by Member States, as set out in this Regulation, shall be in accordance with the criteria set out in Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.

(b) The allocation of fishing opportunities among Member States, as set out in this Regulation, shall be without prejudice to: — exchanges made pursuant to Article 16(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013; — deductions and reallocations made pursuant to Article 37 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009; — additional landings allowed under Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 or under Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013; — quantities withheld in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 or transferred under Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013; — deductions made pursuant to Articles 105, 106 and 107 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

Article 9

Data transmission

Member States shall record and transmit the fishing effort data to the Commission in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1022.

When submitting effort data to the Commission in accordance with this Article, Member States shall use the fishing effort group codes set out in Annex III.

CHAPTER III

Adriatic Sea

Article 10

Small pelagic stocks

Article 11

Demersal stocks

Article 12

Data transmission

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

CHAPTER IV

Ionian Sea, Levant Sea and the Strait of Sicily

Article 13

CHAPTER V

Alboran Sea

Article 14

CHAPTER VI

Black Sea

Article 15

Allocation of fishing opportunities for sprat

Article 16

Allocation of fishing opportunities for turbot

Article 17

Management of fishing effort for turbot

Union fishing vessels authorised to fish for turbot within the scope of Article 16, irrespective of the vessels’ length overall, shall not fish for more than 180 fishing days per year.

Article 18

Closure period for turbot

It shall be prohibited for Union fishing vessels to carry out any fishing activity, including transhipment, retaining on board, landing and first sale of turbot in Union waters in the Black Sea from 15 April to 15 June.

Article 19

Special provisions on allocations of fishing opportunities in the Black Sea

The allocation of fishing opportunities among Member States as set out in Articles 15 and 16 of 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; and

(c) deductions made pursuant to Articles 105 and 107 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

Article 20

Data transmission

When, pursuant to Articles 33 and 34 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, Member States submit to the Commission data relating to landings of quantities of stocks of sprat and turbot caught in Union waters in the Black Sea, they shall use the stock codes set out in Annex VII.

TITLE III

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 21

Entry into force

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 2022.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

ANNEX I

The tables in this Annex set out the maximum allowable number of fishing authorisations and the maximum level of harvested quantities of red coral in the Mediterranean Sea.

The reference to fishing zones are references to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterrenean (GFCM) geographical subareas (GSAs).

For the purposes of this Annex, the following comparative table of Latin names and common names of fish stocks is provided:

Scientific name	Alpha-3 code	Common name
Corallium rubrum	COL	Red coral
Member States	Red coral COL
---	---
Greece	12
Spain	0 (2)
France	32
Croatia	28
Italy	40
(1) Representing number of vessels and/or divers, or a pair of one diver with one vessel, authorised to harvest red coral. (2) According to the temporal ban for red coral fisheries established in Spanish waters.
Species:	Red coral Corallium rubrum	Zone:
---	---	---
Greece	1,844
Spain	0 (1)
France	1,400
Croatia	1,226
Italy	1,378
Union	5,848
TAC	Not relevant/Not agreed
(1) According to the temporal ban for red coral fisheries established in Spanish waters.

ANNEX II

The table in this Annex sets out the maximum number of Union fishing vessels authorised to fish for common dolphinfish in the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

The reference to fishing zones are references to the international waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

For the purposes of this Annex, the following comparative table of Latin names and common names of fish stocks is provided:

Scientific name	Alpha-3 code	Common name
Coryphaena hippurus	DOL	Common dolphinfish

Maximum number of fishing authorisations for vessels operating in international waters (¹)

Member State	Common dolphinfish DOL
Italy	797
Malta	130

ANNEX III

The tables in this Annex set out the maximum allowable fishing effort (in fishing days) by stock groups, as defined in Article 1 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1022, maximum catch limits and overall length of vessels for all types of trawls (²) and demersal longliners fishing for demersal stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea.

All fishing opportunities set out in this Annex shall be subject to the rules set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/1022 and Articles 26 to 35 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

The reference to fishing zones are references to GFCM GSAs.

For the purposes of this Annex, the following comparative table of Latin names and common names of fish stocks is provided:

Scientific name	Alpha-3 code	Common name
Aristaeomorpha foliacea	ARS	Giant red shrimp
Aristeus antennatus	ARA	Blue and red shrimp
Merluccius merluccius	HKE	European hake
Mullus barbatus	MUT	Red mullet
Nephrops norvegicus	NEP	Norway lobster
Parapenaeus longirostris	DPS	Deep-water rose shrimp

Maximum allowable fishing effort in fishing days

(a) Trawlers in Alboran Sea, Balearic Islands, Northern Spain and Gulf of Lion (GSAs 1-2-5-6-7)  (³) Stock group Overall length of vessels Spain France Italy Fishing effort group code Red mullet in GSAs 1, 5, 6 and 7; Hake in GSAs 1, 5, 6 and 7; Deep-water rose shrimp in GSAs 1, 5 and 6; Norway lobster in GSAs 5 and 6. < 12 m 1 921 0 0 EFF1/MED1_TR1 ≥ 12 m and < 18 m 20 641 0 0 EFF1/MED1_TR2 ≥ 18 m and < 24 m 38 728 4 372 0 EFF1/MED1_TR3 ≥ 24 m 13 640 5 320 0 EFF1/MED1_TR4 Stock group Overall length of vessels Spain France Italy Fishing effort group code Blue and red shrimp in GSAs 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7. < 12 m 0 0 0 EFF2/MED1_TR1 ≥ 12 m and < 18 m 968 0 0 EFF2/MED1_TR2 ≥ 18 m and < 24 m 9 805 0 0 EFF2/MED1_TR3 ≥ 24 m 7 871 0 0 EFF2/MED1_TR4

(b) Trawlers in Corsica Island, Ligurian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and Sardinia Island (GSAs 8-9-10-11)  (⁴) Stock group Overall length of vessels Spain France Italy Fishing effort group code Red mullet in GSAs 8, 9, 10 and 11; Hake in GSAs 8, 9, 10 and 11; Deep-water rose shrimp in GSAs 9, 10 and 11; Norway lobster in GSAs 9 and 10. < 12 m 0 177 2 534 EFF1/MED2_TR1 ≥ 12 m and < 18 m 0 709 38 110 EFF1/MED2_TR2 ≥ 18 m and < 24 m 0 177 25 629 EFF1/MED2_TR3 ≥ 24 m 0 177 3 421 EFF1/MED2_TR4 Stock group Overall length of vessels Spain France Italy Fishing effort group code Giant red shrimp in GSAs 8, 9, 10 and 11. < 12 m 0 0 419 EFF2/MED2_TR1 ≥ 12 m and < 18 m 0 0 3 091 EFF2/MED2_TR2 ≥ 18 m and < 24 m 0 0 2 489 EFF2/MED2_TR3 ≥ 24 m 0 0 333 EFF2/MED2_TR4

(c) Demersal longliners in Alboran Sea, Balearic Islands, Northern Spain and Gulf of Lion (GSAs 1-2-5-6-7) Stock group Overall length of vessels Spain France Italy Fishing effort group code Red mullet in GSAs 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7; Hake in GSAs 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 < 12 m 9 433 6 432 0 EFF1/MED1_LL1 ≥ 12 m and < 18 m 2 148 93 0 EFF1/MED1_LL2 ≥ 18 m and < 24 m 74 0 0 EFF1/MED1_LL3 ≥ 24 m 29 0 0 EFF1/MED1_LL4

(d) Demersal longliners in Corsica Island, Ligurian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and Sardinia Island (GSAs 8-9-10-11) Stock group Overall length of vessels Spain France Italy Fishing effort group code Red mullet in GSAs 8, 9, 10 and 11; Hake in GSAs 8, 9, 10 and 11 < 12 m 0 1 650 33 187 EFF1/MED2_LL1 ≥ 12 m and < 18 m 0 51 4 748 EFF1/MED2_LL2 ≥ 18 m and < 24 m 0 0 26 EFF1/MED2_LL3 ≥ 24 m 0 0 0 EFF1/MED2_LL4

Maximum catch limit

(e) fishing opportunities for blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) in the Alboran Sea, Balearic Islands, Northern Spain and Gulf of Lion (GSAs 1-2-5-6-7) expressed as maximum level of catches in tonnes live weight Species: Blue and red shrimp Aristeus antennatus Zone: GSA 1-2-5-6-7 (ARA/GF1-7) Spain 872 France 56 Italy 0 Union 928 TAC Not relevant

Maximum level of catches

(f) Fishing opportunities for blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) and giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea) in Corsica Island, Ligurian Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea and Sardinia Island (GSAs 8-9-10-11) expressed as maximum level of catches in tonnes live weight

Species: Blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) Zone: GSA 8-9-10-11 (ARA/GF8-11) Spain 0 France 9 Italy 250 Union 259 TAC Not relevant

Maximum level of catches Species: Giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea) Zone: GSA 8-9-10-11 (ARS/GF8-11) Spain 0 France 5 Italy 365 Union 370 TAC Not relevant

Maximum level of catches

ANNEX IV

The tables in this Annex set out the fishing opportunities by stock or vessels effort groups and the conditions functionally linked thereto, where appropriate, including the maximum number of Union fishing vessels authorised to fish small pelagics.

All fishing opportunities set out in this Annex shall be subject to the rules set out in Articles 26 to 35 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

The reference to fishing zones are references to GFCM GSAs.

For the purposes of this Annex, the following comparative table of Latin names and common names is provided:

Scientific name	Alpha-3 code	Common name
Engraulis encrasicolus	ANE	Anchovy
Merluccius merluccius	HKE	European hake
Mullus barbatus	MUT	Red mullet
Nephrops norvegicus	NEP	Norway lobster
Parapenaeus longirostris	DPS	Deep-water rose shrimp
Sardina pilchardus	PIL	Sardine
Solea solea	SOL	Common sole

Maximum level of catches expressed in tonnes live weight

| Species: | Small pelagic species (anchovy and sardine) Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardina pilchardus | Zone: | Union and International waters of GFCM-GSAs 17 and 18 (SP1/GF1718) |

| --- | --- | --- | --- | | Italy | 35 394 | (¹) | Maximum level of catches Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply | | Croatia | 56 304 | | | | TAC | Not relevant | | | | (¹) Concerning Slovenia, the quantities are based on the level of catches exerted in 2014, up to an amount that should not exceed 300 tonnes. | | | |