This Regulation fixes for the years 2013 and 2014 the annual fishing opportunities available to EU vessels for fish stocks of certain deep-sea species in EU waters and in certain non-EU waters where catch limits are required.
Article 2 -
Definitions
1. For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:
(a)
‘EU vessel’ means a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State and registered in the Union;
(b)
‘EU waters’ means the waters under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Member States with the exception of waters adjacent to the territories mentioned in Annex II to the Treaty;
(c)
‘total allowable catch’ (TAC) means the quantity that can be taken and landed from each fish stock each year;
(d)
‘quota’ means a proportion of the TAC allocated to the Union, a Member State or a third country;
(e)
‘international waters’ means waters falling outside the sovereignty or jurisdiction of any State.
2. For the purposes of this Regulation, the following zone definitions shall apply:
(a)
ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) zones are the geographical areas specified in Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 218/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5);
(b)
CECAF (Committee for Eastern Central Atlantic Fisheries) zones are the geographical areas specified in Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 216/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6).
Article 3 -
TACs and allocations
The TACs for deep-sea species caught by EU vessels in EU waters or in certain non-EU waters, the allocation of such TACs among Member States and the conditions functionally linked thereto, where appropriate, are set out in the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 4 -
Special provisions on allocations of fishing opportunities
1. 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 Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 (7) or pursuant to Article 10(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1006/2008 (8);
(c)
additional landings allowed pursuant to Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96;
(d)
quantities withheld pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96;
(e)
deductions made pursuant to Articles 105, 106 and 107 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.
2. Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall apply to stocks subject to precautionary TAC whereas Article 3(2) and (3) and Article 4 of that Regulation shall apply to stocks subject to analytical TAC, except where otherwise specified in the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 5 -
Conditions for landing catches and by-catches
Fish from stocks for which TACs are established shall be retained on board or landed only if the catches have been taken by vessels flying the flag of a Member State having a quota and that quota is not exhausted.
Article 6 -
Entry into force
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.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
