Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Sea Fisheries (Amendment) Regulations 2022 and come into force on 21st May 2022.

(2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 fixing for 2020 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters

2.—(1) Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 fixing for 2020 the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters( 2) is amended as follows.

(2) In Article 10 (measures on European seabass fisheries)—

(a) in paragraph 2(a), for “380 kilogrammes per month” substitute “760 kilogrammes in any two consecutive months”;

(b) in paragraph 2(b), for “380 kilogrammes per month” substitute “760 kilogrammes in any two consecutive months”;

(c) in paragraph 2(c), for “5.7 tonnes” substitute “5.95 tonnes”; and

(d) in paragraph 2(d), for “1.4 tonnes” substitute “1.5 tonnes”.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations make adjustments to the level of European seabass that may be caught as a by-catch within British fishery limits.

Regulation 2 amends Council Regulation (EU) 2020/123 to update the provisions which regulate sea bass fishing. The amendments increase the time period for which weight limits for unavoidable by-catches for vessels using trawls and seines are to be assessed from one month to two consecutive months. They also increase the catch limits for vessels authorised to retain seabass when using hook and line and fixed gillnets.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary, or public sector is foreseen.