European Commission Amends Regulation on Fisheries in the Black Sea Region

Strategic Insights -

The European Commission has issued a regulation aimed at addressing the conservation of turbot in the Black Sea region. The regulation, COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2025/856, was published on 5 May 2025 and enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. The regulation amends Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910, which implements the Union's international obligations in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) Agreement area of application. The amendment aims to ensure consistency between the GFCM Recommendation and Union law by prohibiting the retention of turbot below a certain size in the Black Sea region.

Key Takeaways:

  • The European Commission has issued a regulation to amend Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910, which implements the Union's international obligations in the GFCM Agreement area of application.
  • The regulation prohibits the retention of turbot below a size of 45 cm in the Black Sea region, as recommended by the GFCM Contracting Parties.
  • The regulation amends Article 2 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910 by adding a new point (6) that defines the Black Sea as the waters in GFCM geographical subarea 29.
  • A new Article 4a is inserted into Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910, which prohibits targeting, retaining on board, transhipping, transferring, landing, transporting, storing, displaying, or offering for sale turbot below the minimum conservation reference size of 45 cm.
  • The regulation shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and shall apply until 31 December 2026.
  • The regulation is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
  • The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has signed the regulation.

Statistics:

  • The regulation enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
  • The regulation applies until 31 December 2026.
  • Turbot below a size of 45 cm are prohibited in the Black Sea region.
  • Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910 is amended to include a new definition of the Black Sea as the waters in GFCM geographical subarea 29.
  • A total of 2 amendments are made to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910, including the addition of a new Article 4a and the amendment of Article 2.

Sources:

  • COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2025/856 of 5 May 2025 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910 on the implementation of the Union's international obligations, as referred to in Article 15(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, under the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (OJ L, 2025/856, 24.07.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/856/oj).
  • Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy (OJ L 354, 28.12.2013, p. 22, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1380/oj).
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/2910 of 28 May 2024 on the implementation of the Union's international obligations, as referred to in Article 15(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, under the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (OJ L, 2024/2910, 26.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2024/2910/oj).