Measures on European seabass fisheries in ICES divisions 4b, 4c and 6a and ICES subarea 7
Article 10
1. It shall be prohibited for Union fishing vessels, as well as for any commercial fisheries from shore, to fish for European seabass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) in ICES divisions 4b and 4c and in ICES subarea 7 or to retain on board, tranship, relocate or land European seabass caught in that area. 2. The prohibition set out in paragraph 1 shall not apply to by-catches of European seabass in shore-based commercial netting activities. This exemption applies to historic numbers of beach nets set at pre-2017 levels. Shore-based commercial netting activities shall not target European seabass and only unavoidable by-catches of European seabass may be landed. 3. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, in January 2026 and from 1 April to 31 December 2026, Union fishing vessels in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 7d, 7e, 7f and 7h may fish for, retain on board, tranship, relocate or land European seabass caught in that area with the following gear and within the following limits: (a) using demersal trawls ( 36 ) , for unavoidable by-catches not exceeding 10,0 tonnes per fishing vessel and per year and 20 % of the weight of the total catches of marine organisms on board caught by the fishing vessel concerned per fishing trip; (b) using seines ( 37 ) , for unavoidable by-catches not exceeding 10,0 tonnes per fishing vessel and per year and 20 % of the weight of the total catches of marine organisms on board caught by the fishing vessel concerned per fishing trip; (c) using hooks and lines ( 38 ) , not exceeding 8,0 tonnes per fishing vessel and per year; (d) using fixed gillnets ( 39 ) , for unavoidable by-catches not exceeding 5,4 tonnes per fishing vessel and per year. The derogations set out in the first subparagraph, point (c), shall apply to Union fishing vessels that have recorded catches of European seabass using hooks and lines over the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2016. The derogations set out in the first subparagraph, point (d), shall apply to Union fishing vessels that have recorded catches of European seabass using fixed gillnets over the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2016. In the case of a replacement of a Union fishing vessel, Member States may allow the derogations to apply to another Union fishing vessel provided that the number of Union fishing vessels subject to each of the derogations and their overall fishing capacity do not increase. 4. The catch limits set out in paragraph 3 shall not be transferable between fishing vessels. 5. In recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a and 7a to 7k: (a) from 1 February to 31 March 2026: (i) only ‘catch and release’ fishing with a rod or a handline for European seabass shall be allowed; and (ii) it shall be prohibited to retain, relocate, tranship or land European seabass caught in that area; (b) in January 2026 and from 1 April to 31 December 2026: (i) not more than three specimens of European seabass may be caught and retained per fisher per day; (ii) the minimum size of European seabass retained shall be 42 cm; and (iii) fixed nets shall not be used to catch or retain European seabass. 6. Paragraph 5 shall apply without prejudice to more stringent national measures on recreational fisheries.