Conservation of fishery resources: transitional technical measures from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012

PURPOSE: to extend the application of technical measures in Regulation (EC) No 1288/2009 until 31 December 2012 in order to maintain the proper conservation and management of marine resources.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) No 579/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms and Council Regulation (EC) No 1288/2009 establishing transitional technical measures from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2011.

CONTENT: following an agreement at first reading with the European Parliament, the Council amended Regulation (EC) n° 1288/2009 establishing transitional technical measures from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2011. The United Kingdom and Portugal voted against.

This text provides for an extension of the implementation period of the regulation for the conservation of fisheries resources through technical measures. Given that Regulation (EC) No1288/2009 will expire on 30 June 2011, and that there is no current legal act that could provide for permanent technical measures, the text ensures legal certainty for these specific measures aiming at the conservation of marine resources by extending the validity of Regulation (EC) No 1288/2009 for another 18 months, until 1 January 2013. However, basic principles concerning technical measures will be considered by the new basic regulation for the ongoing reform of the common fisheries policy.

In addition, fishing quotas for Boarfish (Caproidae) were established for the first time under Council Regulation (EU) No 57/2011. The new Regulation therefore clarifies that boarfish may be targeted using towed nets with a mesh size range of 32 to 54 millimetres. Consequently, Annexes I and II to Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 are amended accordingly.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 01/07/2011.