(1)

The Union is a Party to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (3) (‘the Convention’).

(2)

At its 16th Special Meeting in 2008, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (‘ICCAT’), established by the Convention, adopted Recommendation 08-05 to establish a new recovery plan for Bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and in the Mediterranean, replacing the previous recovery plan adopted in 2006. Council Regulation (EC) No 302/2009 (4) was adopted to implement those international conservation measures at Union level.

(3)

At its 17th Special Meeting in 2010, ICCAT adopted Recommendation 10-04 amending the multiannual recovery plan for Bluefin tuna. Regulation (EC) No 302/2009 was then amended by Regulation (EU) No 500/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5) to implement those revised international conservation measures at Union level.

(4)

At its 18th Special Meeting in 2012, ICCAT adopted Recommendation 12-03 further amending the multiannual recovery plan for Bluefin tuna. In order to better adapt the fishing seasons to the activity of the fleets, Recommendation 12-03 provides for a modification of the fishing seasons, which are now defined as open seasons, as opposed to closed seasons indicated in the previous ICCAT Recommendations. In addition, the actual dates on which fishing is permitted by purse seiners, baitboats and trolling boats have been modified. Finally, to avoid any uncertainty for those gears which are not subject to any specific rules on fishing seasons, it was necessary to include a provision explicitly allowing all other gears, with the exception of all kinds of driftnets, the possibility to fish all year round. The periods and the dates of the fishing seasons in the Atlantic may be reviewed by ICCAT in 2015, following advice from the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics of ICCAT (SCRS).

(5)

At its 23rd Regular Meeting in November 2013, ICCAT adopted Recommendation 13-08 complementing Recommendation 12-03, in order to allow modifications to the fishing seasons for baitboats and trolling boats in the eastern Atlantic that do not affect the protection of the Bluefin tuna spawning grounds in the Mediterranean. That ICCAT Recommendation states that the Contracting Parties and Cooperating non-Contracting Parties, Entities or Fishing Entities may specify a different starting date for the fishing seasons for their baitboats and trolling boats operating in the eastern Atlantic, while keeping the total duration of the open season for those fisheries. That ICCAT Recommendation also lays down rules for the use of stereoscopic cameras in the context of caging operations. It is the intention that all the technical specifications, including the sampling intensity, the way of sampling, the distance from the camera, the dimensions of the transfer gate, algorithms (length-weight relationship) be reviewed by the SCRS at its 2014 meeting, and if necessary modified by ICCAT at its 2014 meeting based on SCRS recommendations.

(6)

In order to implement into Union law ICCAT Recommendation 12-03 so as to ensure the effective conservation of the Bluefin tuna stock, to provide legal certainty as to the fishing seasons concerned and, lastly, to allow Member States to properly define their fishing, capacity and inspection plans and other reporting obligations, and in order to implement into Union law ICCAT Recommendation 13-08 with regard to the use of stereoscopic camera systems in the context of caging operations and the possible setting of a different starting date for the fishing seasons for baitboats and trolling boats in the eastern Atlantic, it is necessary to modify the relevant provisions of Regulation (EC) No 302/2009 as soon as possible,

(1)

Article 7 is replaced by the following:

(2)

the following Article is inserted: