
Article 1 
This Regulation specifies the details for implementing the landing obligation, provided for in Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, and shall apply from 1 January 2016 in the North-Western Waters, as defined in Article 4(2)(c) of that Regulation, in the fisheries set out in the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2 
The exemption from the landing obligation provided for in Article 15(4)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 for species for which scientific evidence demonstrates high survival rates shall apply to Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) caught in pots, traps or creels (Gear codes FPO and FIX) in ICES division VIa and subarea VII.
Article 3 

1. By way of derogation from Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the following quantities may be discarded:
(a) for common sole (Solea solea), up to a maximum of 3 % in 2016, 2017 and 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using trammel and gill nets to catch common sole in ICES divisions VIId, VIIe, VIIf and VIIg;
(b) for whiting (Merlangius merlangus), up to a maximum of 7 % in 2016 and 2017 and up to a maximum of 6 % in 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using bottom trawls of less than 100 mm to catch whiting in ICES divisions VIId and VIIe;
(c) for whiting (Merlangius merlangus), up to a maximum of 7 % in 2016 and 2017 and up to a maximum of 6 % in 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using bottom trawls of not less than 100 mm to catch whiting in ICES divisions VIIb-VIIj;
(d) for whiting (Merlangius merlangus), up to a maximum of 7 % in 2016 and 2017 and up to a maximum of 6 % in 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using bottom trawls of less than 100 mm to catch whiting in ICES subarea VII, except divisions VIIa, d and e.
(e) for Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), up to a maximum of 7 % in 2016 and 2017 and up to a maximum of 6 % in 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels obliged to land Norway lobster in ICES subarea VII;
(f) for Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), up to a maximum of 7 % in 2016 and 2017 and up to a maximum of 6 % in 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels obliged to land Norway lobster in ICES division VIa;
(g) for common sole (Solea solea), up to a maximum of 3 % in 2016, 2017 and 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using gear with increased selectivity (TBB gear with mesh size of 80-199 mm) in ICES divisions VIId, VIIe, VIIf and VIIg.
2. By 1 May 2016, Member States having a direct management interest in north-western waters shall submit to the Commission additional discard data and any other relevant scientific information supporting the exemptions laid down in paragraph 1(b), (c) and (d). The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) shall assess those data and that information by 1 September 2016 at the latest.
Article 4 

1. Member States shall determine, in accordance with the criteria laid down in the Annex to this Regulation, the vessels subject to the landing obligation for each particular fishery.
2. By 31 December 2015, the Member States concerned shall submit to the Commission and other Member States, using the secure Union control website, the lists of vessels determined pursuant to paragraph 1 for each particular fishery set out in Annex. They shall keep those lists updated.
Article 5 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2016 until 31 December 2018.
Article 4 shall apply from the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 12 October 2015.
For the Commission
The President
Jean-Claude JUNCKER
ANNEX


((a)) Fisheries in ICES division VIa and Union waters of ICES division Vb

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear description Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Cod (Gadus morhua), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and Saithe (Pollachius virens) OTB, SSC, OTT, PTB, SDN, SPR, TBN, TBS, TB, SX, SV, OT, PT, TX Trawls & Seines All Where total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 10 % of the following gadoids: cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined, the landing obligation shall apply to haddock.
Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) OTB, SSC, OTT, PTB, SDN, SPR, FPO, TBN, TB, TBS, SX, SV, FIX, OT, PT, TX Trawls, Seines, Pots, Traps & Creels All Where the total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 30 % of Norway lobster, the landing obligation shall apply to Norway lobster.
((b)) Fisheries with combined TAC for ICES subareas VI and VII and Union waters of ICES division Vb for hake

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear description Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Hake(Merluccius merluccius) OTB, SSC, OTT, PTB, SDN, SPR, TBN, TBS, TB, SX, SV, OT, PT, TX Trawls & Seines All Where the total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 30 % of hake, the landing obligation shall apply to hake.
Hake(Merluccius merluccius) GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GTR, GEN All Gill Nets All All catches of hake shall be subject to the landing obligation.
Hake(Merluccius merluccius) LL, LLS, LLD, LX, LTL, LHP, LHM All Long lines All All catches of hake shall be subject to the landing obligation.
((c)) Fisheries with TAC covering ICES subarea VII for Norway lobster

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear description Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) OTB SSC, OTT, PTB, SDN, SPR, FPO, TBN, TB, TBS, SX, SV, FIX, OT, PT, TX Trawls, Seines, Pots, Traps & Creels All Where the total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 30 % of Norway lobster, the landing obligation shall apply to Norway lobster.
((d)) Fisheries in ICES division VIIa

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Cod (Gadus morhua), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and Saithe (Pollachius virens) OTB, SSC, OTT, PTB, SDN, SPR, TBN, TBS, TB, SX, SV, OT, PT, TX Trawls & Seines All Where total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 10 % of the following gadoids: cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined, the landing obligation shall apply to haddock.
((e)) Fisheries in ICES division VIId

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Common Sole (Solea solea) TBB All Beam trawls All All catches of common sole are subject to the landing obligation.
Common Sole (Solea solea) OTT, OTB, TBS, TBN, TB, PTB, OT, PT, TX Trawls < 100 mm Where the total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 5 % of common sole, the landing obligation shall apply to common sole.
Common Sole (Solea solea) GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GTR, GEN All Trammel nets & Gill nets All All catches of common sole shall be subject to the landing obligation.
Cod (Gadus morhua), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and Saithe (Pollachius virens) OTB, SSC, OTT, PTB, SDN, SPR, TBN, TBS, TB, SX, SV, OT, PT, TX Trawls and Seines All Where total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 25 % of the following gadoids: cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined, the landing obligation shall apply to whiting.
((f)) Fisheries in ICES division VIIe — common sole

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Common Sole (Solea solea) TBB All Beam trawls All Where the total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 10 % of common sole, the landing obligation shall apply to common sole.
Common Sole (Solea solea) GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GTR, GEN All Trammel nets & Gill nets All All catches of common sole shall be subject to the landing obligation.
((g)) Fisheries in ICES divisions VIIb, VIIc and VIIf-VIIk

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Common Sole (Solea solea) TBB All Beam trawls All Where the total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 5 % of common sole, the landing obligation shall apply to common sole.
Common Sole (Solea solea) GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GTR, GEN All Trammel nets & Gill nets All All catches of common sole shall be subject to the landing obligation.
((h)) Fisheries in ICES divisions VIIb, VIIc, VIIe and VIIf-VIIk

Fishery Gear Code Fishing gear Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Cod (Gadus morhua), Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus), Whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and Saithe (Pollachius virens) OTB, SSC, OTT, PTB, SDN, SPR, TBN, TBS, TB, SX, SV, OT, PT, TX Trawls & Seines All Where total landings per vessel of all species in 2013 and 2014 consist of more than 25 % of the following gadoids: cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined, the landing obligation shall apply to whiting.
