
CHAPTER I
Article 1 
This Regulation fixes the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea for 2021 and amends certain fishing opportunities in other waters fixed by Regulation (EU) 2020/123.
Article 2 

1. This Regulation applies to Union fishing vessels operating in the Baltic Sea.
2. This Regulation also applies to recreational fisheries where they are expressly referred to in the relevant provisions.
Article 3 
For the purposes of this Regulation, the definitions laid down in Article 4 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 apply.
In addition, the following definitions apply:

((1)) ‘subdivision’ means an ICES subdivision of the Baltic Sea as defined in Annex III to Council Regulation (EC) No 218/2009;
((2)) ‘total allowable catch’ (TAC) means the quantity of each stock that can be caught over the period of a year;
((3)) ‘quota’ means a proportion of the TAC allocated to the Union, a Member State or a third country;
((4)) ‘recreational fisheries’ means non-commercial fishing activities exploiting marine biological resources such as for recreation, tourism or sport.
CHAPTER II
Article 4 
The TACs, the quotas and the conditions functionally linked thereto, where appropriate, are set out in the Annex.
Article 5 
The allocation of fishing opportunities among Member States, as set out in this Regulation, shall be without prejudice to:

((a)) exchanges made pursuant to Article 16(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013;
((b)) deductions and reallocations made pursuant to Article 37 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009;
((c)) additional landings allowed under Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 or under Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013;
((d)) quantities withheld in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 or transferred under Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013;
((e)) deductions made pursuant to Articles 105 and 107 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.
Article 6 
The stocks of non-target species within the safe biological limits referred to in Article 15(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 which qualify for the derogation from the obligation to count catches against the relevant quota are identified in the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 7 

1. It shall be prohibited to fish with any type of fishing gear in subdivisions 25 and 26 from 1 May to 31 August.
2. An exemption from the prohibition laid down in paragraph 1 shall apply in the following cases:
(a) fishing operations conducted for the exclusive purpose of scientific investigations, which may be undertaken provided that those investigations are carried out in full compliance with the conditions set out in Article 25 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241;
(b) Union fishing vessels of less than 12 metres in length overall that fish with gillnets, entangling nets or trammel nets, with bottom set lines, longlines, drifting lines, handlines and jigging equipment or similar passive gear in areas where the water depth is less than 20 metres according to the coordinates on the official sea chart issued by the competent national authorities;
(c) Union fishing vessels fishing in subdivision 25 where water depth is less than 50 metres for pelagic stocks for direct human consumption, using gears with a mesh size of 45 mm or less, and whose landings are sorted.
3. It shall be prohibited to fish with any type of fishing gear in subdivisions 22 and 23 from 1 February to 31 March and in subdivision 24 from 15 May to 15 August.
4. An exemption from the prohibition laid down in paragraph 3 shall apply in the following cases:
(a) fishing operations conducted for the exclusive purpose of scientific investigations are carried out in full compliance with the conditions set out in Article 25 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241;
(b) Union fishing vessels of less than 12 metres in length overall that fish with gillnets, entangling nets or trammel nets, with bottom set lines, longlines, drifting lines, handlines and jigging equipment or similar passive gear in subdivisions 22 and 23 in areas where the water depth is less than 20 metres according to the coordinates on the official sea chart issued by the competent national authorities, and in subdivision 24 in areas up to six nautical miles measured from the baselines where the water depth is less than 20 metres according to the coordinates on the official sea chart issued by the competent national authorities;
(c) Union fishing vessels fishing in subdivision 24 up to six nautical miles measured from the baselines where the water depth is less than 40 metres for pelagic stocks for direct human consumption, using gears with a mesh size of 45 mm or less, and whose landings are sorted.
5. Masters of fishing vessels as referred to in paragraph 2, points (b) or (c) and paragraph 4, points (b) or (c) shall ensure that their fishing activity can be monitored at any time by the control authorities of the Member State.
Article 8 

1. In recreational fisheries, no more than five specimens of cod may be retained per fisherman per day in subdivisions 22 and 23 and in subdivision 24 within six nautical miles measured from the baselines, except in the period from 1 February to 31 march 2021, when no more than two specimens of cod may be retained per fisherman per day.
2. Recreational fishing for cod shall be prohibited in subdivision 24 beyond six nautical miles measured from the baselines and in subdivisions 25 and 26.
3. This Article is without prejudice to more stringent national measures.
Article 9 

1. It shall be prohibited for fishing vessels to fish for sea trout beyond four nautical miles measured from the baselines in subdivisions 22-32 from 1 January to 31 December 2021. When fishing for salmon in those waters, by-catches of sea trout shall not exceed 3 % of the total catch of salmon and sea trout at any moment on board or landed after each fishing trip.
2. This Article is without prejudice to more stringent national measures.
Article 10 

1. Except where specified otherwise in the Annex to this Regulation, Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 applies to stocks subject to precautionary TACs and Article 3(2) and (3) and Article 4 of that Regulation shall apply to stocks subject to an analytical TAC.
2. Article 3(2) and (3) and Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 does not apply where a Member State uses the year-to-year flexibility provided for in Article 15(9) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.
Article 11 
Where, pursuant to Articles 33 and 34 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, Member States send data relating to quantities of stocks caught or landed to the Commission, they shall use the stock codes set out in the Annex to this Regulation.
CHAPTER III
Article 12 
In Annex IA, the Fishing opportunities table for Norway pout and associated by-catches in ICES division 3a and Union waters of ICES division 2a and ICES subarea 4 is replaced by the following:

‘Species: Norway pout and associated by-catchesTrisopterus esmarkii Zone: 3a; Union waters of 2a and 4(NOP/2A3A4.)
Period 1 November 2019 – 31 October 2020 1 November 2020 – 31 December 2020 Analytical TAC
Denmark 72 433  29 972  Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
Germany 14  6  Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply
The Netherlands 53  22  
Union 72 500  30 000  
Norway 14 500  pm  
Faroe Islands 5 000  pm  
TAC Not relevant  Not relevant  






Article 13 
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 2021, except Article 12 which shall apply from 1 November 2020 until 31 October 2021.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 29 October 2020.
For the Council
The President
M. ROTH
ANNEX

The following tables set out the TACs and quotas (in tonnes live weight, except where otherwise specified) by stock, and conditions functionally linked thereto.
The references to fishing zones are references to ICES zones, unless otherwise specified.
The fish stocks are referred to using the alphabetical order of the Latin names of the species.
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following comparative table of Latin names and common names is provided:

Scientific name Alpha-3 code Common name
Clupea harengus HER Herring
Gadus morhua COD Cod
Pleuronectes platessa PLE Plaice
Salmo salar SAL Atlantic salmon
Sprattus sprattus SPR Sprat
Species: HerringClupea harengus Zone: Subdivisions 30-31(HER/30/31.)
Finland 53 306  
Sweden 11 712 
Union 65 018 
TAC 65 018  Precautionary TAC
Species: HerringClupea harengus Zone: Subdivisions 22-24(HER/3BC+24)
Denmark 221  
Germany 869 
Finland 0 
Poland 205 
Sweden 280 
Union 1 575 
TAC 1 575  Analytical TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply.Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 shall not apply.
Species: HerringClupea harengus Zone: Union waters of subdivisions 25-27, 28.2, 29 and 32(HER/3D-R30)
Denmark 2 146  
Germany 569 
Estonia 10 960 
Finland 21 393 
Latvia 2 705 
Lithuania 2 848 
Poland 24 304 
Sweden 32 626 
Union 97 551 
TAC Not relevant Analytical TACArticle 6 of this Regulation applies.
Species: HerringClupea harengus Zone: Subdivision 28.1(HER/03D.RG)
Estonia 18 216  
Latvia 21 230 
Union 39 446 
TAC 39 446  Analytical TACArticle 6 of this Regulation applies.
Species: CodGadus morhua Zone: Union waters of subdivisions 25-32(COD/3DX32.)
Denmark 137  
Germany 54 
Estonia 13 
Finland 10 
Latvia 51 
Lithuania 33 
Poland 159 
Sweden 138 
Union 595 
TAC Not relevant Precautionary TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 does not apply.Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 does not apply.

Species: CodGadus morhua Zone: Subdivisions 22-24(COD/3BC+24)
Denmark 1 746  
Germany 854 
Estonia 39 
Finland 34 
Latvia 144 
Lithuania 94 
Poland 467 
Sweden 622 
Union 4 000 
TAC 4 000  Analytical TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 does not apply.Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 does not apply.

Species: PlaicePleuronectes platessa Zone: Union waters of subdivisions 22-32(PLE/3BCD-C)
Denmark 5 187  
Germany 576 
Poland 1 086 
Sweden 391 
Union 7 240 
TAC 7 240  Analytical TACArticle 6 of this Regulation applies.
Species: Atlantic salmonSalmo salar Zone: Union waters of subdivisions 22-31(SAL/3BCD-F)
Denmark 19 582  
Germany 2 179 
Estonia 1 990 
Finland 24 417 
Latvia 12 455 
Lithuania 1 464 
Poland 5 940 
Sweden 26 469 
Union 94 496 
TAC Not relevant Precautionary TACArticle 3(2) and (3) of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 does not apply.Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 847/96 does not apply.


Species: Atlantic salmonSalmo salar Zone: Union waters of subdivision 32(SAL/3D32.)
Estonia 911  
Finland 7 972 
Union 8 883 
TAC Not relevant Precautionary TAC

Species: SpratSprattus sprattus Zone: Union waters of subdivisions 22-32(SPR/3BCD-C)
Denmark 21 993  
Germany 13 933 
Estonia 25 539 
Finland 11 513 
Latvia 30 845 
Lithuania 11 158 
Poland 65 460 
Sweden 42 517 
Union 222 958 
TAC Not relevant Analytical TACArticle 6 of this Regulation applies.