
Article 1 
Article 2 of Implementing Regulation (EU) No 737/2012 is amended as follows:

((1)) paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:
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1. By way of derogation from point (a) of Article 7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 850/98, fishing vessels using a cod-end mesh size of between 70 and 119 mm shall use a square-meshed panel of a mesh size of at least 120 millimetres.';
((2)) the following paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 6 are added:
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3. By way of derogation from paragraph 2, the square-meshed panel may be placed farther from the cod-end if a different combination of gear and device is assessed by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) as having the same or higher selectivity characteristics for cod, haddock and whiting.
4. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, fishing vessels using a cod-end mesh size of between 70 and 119 mm may use, instead of a square-meshed panel of a mesh size of at least 120 millimetres, a gear or device assessed by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) as having the same or higher selectivity characteristics for cod, haddock and whiting.
5. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, vessels using a cod-end mesh size of between 70 and 119 mm whose catch in any fishing trip in the area east of 8° West of the Celtic Sea comprises at least 55 % whiting may use a square-meshed panel of a mesh size of at least 100 millimetres if they deploy bottom trawls or seines of a single mesh size equal to or larger than 100 millimetres.
6. Fishing vessels making use of the derogations referred to in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 must have been issued with a specific fishing authorisation by their flag Member State prior to going to sea. The flag Member State shall examine any submission for such authorisation in accordance with Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 and with Articles 4 and 5 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011.'.
Article 2 
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 29 May 2015.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 8 May 2015.
For the Commission
The President
Jean-Claude JUNCKER