Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 a – point 3 (new)
(3) The following Article is inserted: ‘Article 11a a 1. From 1 June 2015, it shall be prohibited to catch any marine biological resource with driftnets and to keep any kind of driftnet on board of fishing vessels. 2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Member States may, until 31 May 2020, allow the continuation of current driftnet fishing activities, without prejudice to Article 11(2) and Article 11a of this Regulation and Article 9 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005* From 1 June 2020, the continuation of current driftnet fishing activities shall only be permitted if authorised by the Commission. Member States shall apply to the Commission for such authorisation by 1 June 2019. The application shall include the following: – an inventory of the types of driftnets used and a definition of those types; – the period in each year during which driftnets are used; – a list of fishing vessels using driftnets; – a comprehensive study on driftnet fishing in the Member State concerned, covering at least the three years preceding the application and including, at least, information concerning the target species, by-catch, discard, area covered, and time period; – a comprehensive study on the impact of the current use of driftnets on protected species under Union legislation and unauthorised species as listed in Annex VIII; – a socio-economic study on the impact on local communities of a ban on each type of driftnet to be allowed. 3. The Commission shall decide on any requests for authorisation by 30 November 2019 at the latest. –––––––––––––––––––– * Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005 of 21 December 2005 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures in the Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound, amending Regulation (EC) No 1434/98 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 88/98 (OJ L 349, 31.12.2005, p. 1).