Here’s a breakdown of the Council Regulation (EU) 2025\/2454:<\/p>\n
**1. Essence of the Act:**<\/p>\n
This regulation sets the fishing opportunities (Total Allowable Catches – TACs and quotas) for various fish stocks in the Baltic Sea for the year 2026. It also includes specific measures to protect certain fish stocks, like cod, herring, and salmon, and amends a previous regulation (EU) 2025\/202 to adjust fishing opportunities for Norway pout in the North Sea and albacore in the Mediterranean Sea. The regulation aims to balance the need to maintain fisheries with the need to conserve fish stocks based on scientific advice.<\/p>\n
**2. Structure and Main Provisions:**<\/p>\n
* **Chapter I (General Provisions):** Defines the subject matter (fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2026), scope (Union fishing vessels operating in the Baltic Sea and recreational fisheries), and key terms used in the regulation.
\n* **Chapter II (Fishing Opportunities):**
\n * **TACs and Quotas:** Sets the TACs and quotas for specific fish stocks in the Baltic Sea, as detailed in the Annex. These are the maximum amounts of each fish species that can be caught.
\n * **Allocation:** Specifies how these fishing opportunities are allocated among Member States, noting that these allocations can be adjusted through exchanges or deductions.
\n * **Flexibility:** Addresses year-to-year flexibility in quota management, referencing other regulations (EC No. 847\/96 and EU No. 1380\/2013) but also restricting this flexibility for certain stocks in critical condition.
\n * **Landing Conditions:** Defines conditions for landing catches and by-catches, referencing the landing obligation under Regulation (EU) No 1380\/2013.
\n * **Closures:** Establishes specific closures for certain areas and time periods to protect spawning cod, herring, and sprat. These closures restrict fishing activities in certain subdivisions of the Baltic Sea during critical spawning periods.
\n * **Recreational Fishing Measures:** Implements measures regarding recreational fishing for cod and salmon, including prohibitions and specific conditions under which recreational fishing is allowed.
\n * **Conservation Measures:** Includes measures for the conservation of sea trout and salmon stocks, such as restrictions on fishing areas and by-catch limits.
\n * **Data Transmission:** Specifies the stock codes to be used by Member States when reporting catch data to the Commission.
\n* **Chapter III (Final Provisions):**
\n * **Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2025\/202:** Modifies a previous regulation to adjust TACs for Norway pout and albacore.
\n * **Entry into Force and Application:** Specifies the dates from which the regulation and its amendments apply.<\/p>\n
**3. Main Provisions for Practical Use:**<\/p>\n
* **TACs and Quotas (Annex):** This is the core of the regulation. It provides the specific limits on how much of each fish stock can be caught by each Member State.
\n* **Closures (Articles 7, 8, and 9):** These articles define specific time periods and areas where fishing is prohibited to protect spawning fish. Fishermen need to be aware of these closures to avoid violating the regulation.
\n* **Recreational Fishing Measures (Articles 10 and 11):** These articles outline the restrictions and conditions for recreational fishing of cod and salmon, which are important for both recreational fishers and enforcement authorities.
\n* **Conservation Measures (Article 12):** These measures aim to protect sea trout and salmon stocks by limiting fishing areas and by-catch.<\/p>\n
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This regulation has implications for Ukraine and Ukrainians, as it affects the management of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea, which is a region of strategic importance for the EU. While Ukraine is not a member of the EU, it may be impacted by the regulation through trade and cooperation agreements with the EU, as well as through its own fisheries management policies in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.<\/p>\n