
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 in the south-western waters, as defined in Article 4(2)(d) of that Regulation, in the fisheries set out in the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2 

1. 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 in 2016 to Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) caught in ICES subareas VIII and IX by trawls (gear codes: OTB, OTT, PTB, TBN, TBS, TB, OT, PT and TX).
2. Member States having a direct management interest in south-western waters shall submit, by 1 May 2016, additional scientific information supporting the exemption laid down in paragraph 1. The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) shall assess the provided scientific information by 1 September 2016.
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 5 % of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using beam trawl (gear code: TBB) and bottom trawls (gear codes: OTB, OTT, PTB, TBN, TBS, TB, OT, PT and TX) targeting this species in ICES divisions VIIIa and VIIIb;
(b) for common sole (Solea solea), up to a maximum of 3 % of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using trammel nets and gillnets (gear codes: GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GTR and GEN) targeting this species in ICES divisions VIIIa and VIIIb;
(c) for hake (Merluccius merluccius), up to a maximum of 7 % in 2016 and 2017 and up to 6 % in 2018 of the total annual catches of this species by vessels using trawls (gear codes: OTT, OTB, PTB, OT, PT, TBN, TBS, TX, SSC, SPR, TB, SDN, SX and SV) targeting this species in ICES subareas VIII and IX.
2. By 1 May 2016, Member States having a direct management interest in the south-western waters shall submit to the Commission additional discard data and any other relevant scientific information supporting the exemption laid down in paragraph 1(c). The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) shall assess those data and that information by 1 September 2016.
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 divisions VIIIa, b, d and e

Fishery (species) Gear Code Fishing gear description Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Common sole(Solea solea) OTB, OTT, PTB, TBN, TBS, TB, OT, PT, TX All Bottom Trawls Mesh size between 70 mm and 100 mm wide All catches of common sole are subject to the landing obligation.
TBB All Beam trawls Mesh size between 70 mm and 100 mm wide
GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GTR, GEN All Trammel nets & Gill nets Mesh size larger or equal to 100 mm wide
Hake(Merluccius merluccius) OTT, OTB, PTB, SDN, OT, PT, TBN, TBS, TX, SSC, SPR, TB, SX, SV All Bottom Trawls & Seines Mesh size larger or equal to 100 mm wide All catches of hake are subject to the landing obligation.
LL, LLS All Long lines All
GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GEN All Gill Nets Mesh size larger or equal to 100 mm wide
Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus)only inside functional units OTB, OTT, PTB, TBN, TBS, TB, OT, PT, TX All Bottom Trawls Mesh size larger or equal to 70 mm All catches of Norway lobster are subject to the landing obligation.
((b)) Fisheries in ICES divisions VIIIc and IXa

Fishery (species) Gear Code Fishing gear description Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Norway lobster(Nephrops norvegicus)only inside functional units OTB, PTB, OTT, TBN, TBS, OT, PT, TX TB All Bottom Trawls Mesh size larger or equal to 70 mm All catches of Norway lobster are subject to the landing obligation.
Hake(Merluccius merluccius) OTT, OTB, PTB, OT, PT, TBN, TBS, TX, SSC, SPR, TB, SDN, SX, SV All Bottom Trawls and Seines Vessels which fulfil the following cumulative criteria:
1.. Use mesh size larger or equal to 70 mm
2.. Total hake landings in the period 2013/2014 consist of: more than 10 % of all landed species and more than 10 metric tons. All catches of hake are subject to the landing obligation.
GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GEN All Gill Nets Vessels which fulfil the following cumulative criteria:
1.. Use mesh size between 80 and 99 mm wide
2.. Total hake landings in the period 2013/2014 consist of more than 10 % of all landed species and more than 10 metric tons.
LL, LLS All Long lines Vessels which fulfil the following cumulative criteria:
1.. Hook size bigger than 3,85 +/–1,15 length and 1,6 +/–0,4 width
2.. Total hake landings in the period 2013/2014 consist of more than 10 % of all landed species and more than 10 metric tons.
((c)) Fisheries in ICES division IXa

Fishery (species) Gear Code Fishing gear description Mesh Size Landing Obligation
Common sole (Solea solea) and plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) GNS, GN, GND, GNC, GTN, GTR, GEN All Trammel nets & Gill nets Mesh size larger or equal to 100 mm All catches of common sole and plaice are subject to the landing obligation.
