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9.8.2012 Official
Journal
of
the
European
Union L
212/1
II
(Non-legislative acts)
REGULATIONS
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 721/2012
of 6 August 2012
prohibiting fishing activities for longliners flying the flag of or registered in Greece or Malta, fishing
for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of longitude 45° W, and in the Mediterranean Sea
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
sustainable exploitation of living aquatic resources based
on the precautionary approach.
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union,
(4)
In accordance with Article 36, paragraph 2 of Regulation
(EC) No 1224/2009, where the Commission finds that,
on the basis of information provided by Member States
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of
and of other information in its possession fishing oppor
20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system
tunities available to the European Union, a Member State
for ensuring compliance with the rules on the common fisheries
or group of Member States are deemed to have been
policy ( 1 ), and in particular Article 36, paragraph 2 thereof,
exhausted for one or more gears or fleets, the
Commission shall inform the Member States concerned
thereof and shall prohibit fishing activities for the
respective area, gear, stock, group of stocks or fleet
Whereas:
involved in those specific fishing activities.
(1) Council
Regulation
(EU)
No
44/2012
of
17
January
2012 fixing for 2012 the fishing opportunities
(5) The
information
in
the
Commission’s
possession
available in EU waters and, to EU vessels, in certain
indicates that the fishing opportunities for bluefin tuna
non-EU waters for certain fish stocks and groups of
in the Atlantic Ocean, east of longitude 45° W, and the
fish stocks which are subject to international negotiations
Mediterranean Sea allocated to longliners flying the flag
or agreements (
of or registered in Greece or Malta have been exhausted.

2 ) fixes the amount of bluefin tuna which
may be fished in 2012 in the Atlantic Ocean, east of
longitude 45° W, and the Mediterranean Sea by European
Union fishing vessels.
(6) On
3
May
2012
Greece
informed
the
Commission
of
the
fact that it had imposed a stop on the fishing activities of
its longline vessels active in the 2012 bluefin tuna
(2) Council
Regulation
(EC)
No
302/2009
of
6
April
2009
fishery, with effect from that day at 00.00.
concerning a multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna
in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, amending
Regulation (EC) No 43/2009 and repealing Regulation
(EC) No 1559/2007 (
(7) On
2
July
2012
Malta
informed
the
Commission
of
the

3 ), requires Member States to
inform the Commission of the individual quota
fact that it had imposed a stop on the fishing activities of
allocated to their vessels over 24 m and, for catching
its longline vessels active in the 2012 bluefin tuna
vessels less than 24 m, at least of the quota allocated
fishery, with effect from 1 July at 00.00.
to producer organisations or groups of vessels fishing
with similar gear.
(8) Without
prejudice
to
the
action
by
Greece
and
Malta
mentioned above, it is necessary that the Commission
(3)
The common fisheries policy is designed to ensure the
confirms the prohibition of fishing for bluefin tuna in
long-term viability of the fisheries sector through
the Atlantic Ocean, east of longitude 45° W and the
Mediterranean Sea as from 3 May 2012 at 00.00 for
longliners flying the flag of or registered in Greece and
( 1 ) OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1.
( 2 ) OJ L 25, 27.1.2012, p. 55.
as from 1 July 2012 at 00.00 for longliners flying the
( 3 ) OJ L 96, 15.4.2009, p. 1.
flag of or registered in Malta,

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L 212/2
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
9.8.2012
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 2
Fishing for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of longitude
Article 1
45° W, and the Mediterranean by longliners flying the flag of or
registered in Malta shall be prohibited as from 1 July 2012 at
Fishing for bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean, east of longitude
00.00 at the latest.
45° W, and the Mediterranean by longliners flying the flag of or
registered in Greece shall be prohibited as from 3 May 2012 at
It shall also be prohibited to retain on board, place in cages for
00.00 at the latest.
fattening or farming, tranship, transfer or land such stock
caught by those vessels as from that date.
Article 3
It shall also be prohibited to retain on board, place in cages for
fattening or farming, tranship, transfer or land such stock
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that
caught by those vessels as from that date.
of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 6 August 2012.
For the Commission,
On behalf of the President,
Antonio TAJANI
Vice-President

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Document Outline

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