Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, amending Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EU) 2017/2107, and (EU) 2019/833 and repealing Regulation (EU) 2016/1627

Where the SCRS requests the Commission to provide copies of the video records, Member States shall provide those copies to the Commission, which shall forward them to the SCRS.

The donor operator and the competent authorities of the Member States concerned shall retain the video records related to transfers for at least 3 years and keep them as long as necessary for control and enforcement purposes.

If the video record referred to in Article 43 does not meet the minimum standards for video recording procedures set out in Annex X, and in particular if its quality and clarity are not sufficient to determine the number of bluefin tuna individuals being transferred, the donor operator may conduct voluntary transfers.

If no voluntary transfer has been carried out, or if, despite the voluntary transfer, it is still not possible to determine the number of bluefin tuna individuals being transferred, the competent authority of the flag, trap or farm Member State of the donor operator shall order a control transfer, which shall be repeated until the quality of the video record enables the number of bluefin tuna individuals being transferred to be determined.

The voluntary and control transfers shall be carried out into an empty cage. The number of bluefin tuna individuals being transferred, as determined during the valid voluntary or control transfer, shall be used to complete the logbook, the ITD and the relevant sections of the eBCD.

The separation of the transport cage from the purse seine vessel, trap or farm cage shall not occur until the ICCAT regional observer on board the purse seine vessel, or present in the farm or on the trap, has carried out the relevant tasks.

If the video record quality of voluntary transfers still does not enable the determination of the number of individuals being transferred, the competent authority of the Member State of the donor operator may allow the separation of the transport cages from the purse seine vessel, trap or farm. In such a case, the competent authority of the Member State of the donor operator shall order the doors of the transport cages concerned to be sealed in accordance with the procedure set out in Annex XVa, and require control transfers to be carried out at a determined time and place, in the presence of the competent authority of the flag, trap or farm Member State concerned.

In the event that the competent authorities of the flag, trap or farm Member State cannot be present at the control transfer, the control transfer shall take place in the presence of an ICCAT regional observer. In that case, the farm operator owning the bluefin tuna individuals being transferred shall be responsible for the deployment of the ICCAT regional observer for the purpose of the verification of the control transfer.

The competent authorities of the Member State of the donor operator shall investigate all cases where:

For all transfer operations where a video recording is required, a difference greater than 10 % in the number of bluefin tuna individuals being transferred reported by the donor operator in the ITD and the number determined by the competent authority of the Member State or CPC of the donor operator shall constitute potential non-compliance of the fishing vessel, trap or farm concerned.

Each farm Member State shall nominate a single competent authority responsible for coordinating the collection and verification of information on caging operations conducted within its jurisdiction, for the control of activities in farms under its jurisdiction, and for reporting to and cooperating with the competent authorities of the flag and trap Member States and CPCs of the vessels or traps that caught the caged tuna.

All bluefin tuna fishery and farm activities shall be subject to the control set out in the annual monitoring, control and inspection plan submitted under Article 14.

Member States involved in caging related activities shall exchange information and cooperate to ensure that the number and weight of bluefin tuna individuals intended for caging are accurate, consistent with the catch amounts reported by the master of the purse seine vessel or the trap operator and declared in the relevant sections of the eBCD.

Farm Member States shall ensure that farm operators maintain at all times an accurate schematic plan of their farms, indicating the unique identifying numbers referred to in Article 45c, of all cages and their individual position in the farm. That plan shall be made available at all times to the competent authority of the farm Member State for control purposes and to the ICCAT regional observer deployed in the farm. Any update of the schematic plan shall be subject to prior notification to the competent authority of the farm Member State. The schematic plan shall be updated each time the number or distribution of farm cages is modified.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall retain all the information, documentation and material related to caging operations conducted in farms under its jurisdiction for at least 3 years and keep the information as long as necessary for enforcement purposes. This obligation shall apply mutatis mutandis to farm operators as regards caging operations conducted on their farms.

Before the start of the bluefin tuna fishing campaign, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall assign a unique identifying number (“cage number”) to each cage associated to farms under its jurisdiction, including those cages used to transport the fish to the farm.

Cage numbers shall be issued in accordance with a unique numbering system that includes at least the alpha-3 code corresponding to the farm Member State followed by three numbers. Cage numbers shall be permanent and not transferable from one cage to another.

The cage numbers shall be stamped or painted on two opposite sides of the ring of the cage and above the water line, in a colour contrasting with the background on which they are painted or stamped and shall be visible and legible at any time for control purposes. The height of the letters and numbers shall be at least 20 cm with a line thickness of at least 4 cm.

By way of derogation from paragraph 3, alternative methods to mark the cage number on the cage shall be allowed, provided that they offer the same guarantee of visibility, legibility and inviolability.

Each caging operation shall be subject to the procedure set out in paragraphs 2 to 4.

The farm operator shall request a caging authorisation to be issued by the competent authority of the farm Member State. The caging authorisation shall include the following information:

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall notify the information referred to in paragraph 2 to the relevant competent authorities of the catching flag or trap Member States or CPCs and shall ask for confirmation that the caging operation may be authorised.

Within 3 working days, the competent authorities of the catching flag or trap Member States shall notify the competent authority of the farm Member State or CPC that the caging operation concerned may be authorised or shall be refused. In the case of refusal, the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State shall specify the reasons for that refusal. The refusal shall include the consequent release order.

The farm Member State shall issue the caging authorisation immediately after receipt of the confirmation by the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State or CPC concerned. In the absence of that confirmation, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall not authorise the caging operation.

Caging operations shall not be authorised if the complete set of information required under paragraph 2 does not accompany the fish subject to the caging authorisation.

Pending the results of the investigation referred to in Article 44 conducted by the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State or CPC, the caging operation shall not be authorised and the relevant sections on catch information and trade information for live fish trade of the eBCD shall not be validated.

If the caging authorisation has not been issued by the competent authority of the farm Member State or CPC within 1 month after the request for a caging authorisation from the farm operator, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall order and proceed to release all the fish contained in the transport cage concerned, in accordance with Annex XII. The competent authority of the farm Member State shall, without delay, inform the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State or CPC concerned and the ICCAT Secretariat of the release.

The competent authority of the Member State responsible for the catching vessel or trap shall refuse to approve the caging if it considers that:

If the Member State responsible for the catching vessel or trap refuses to approve the caging, it shall:

On the arrival of the towing vessel in the vicinity of the farm, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall ensure that that towing vessel is maintained at a distance of minimum 1 nautical mile from any facility of the farm until the competent authority of the farm Member State is physically present. The position and activity of that towing vessel shall be monitored at all times.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall not authorise the start of the caging without the presence of that authority and the ICCAT regional observer or before the relevant sections on catch information and trade information for live fish trade of the eBCD have been completed and validated by the competent authorities of the catching flag or trap Member States or CPCs.

The anchoring of transport cages in the farm as farm cages, without relocation of the fish to allow stereoscopic camera recording shall be prohibited.

After transfer of the bluefin tuna individuals from the towing cage to the farm cage, the control authority of the farm Member State shall ensure that the farm cages containing the bluefin tuna individuals are sealed at all times. Unsealing shall only be possible in the presence of the competent authority of the farm Member State and following its authorisation. The control authority of the farm Member State shall establish protocols for the sealing of farm cages, which shall ensure the use of official seals and that those seals are placed in such a way to prevent the opening of doors without the seals being broken.

Farm Member States shall ensure that the bluefin tuna catches are placed in separate cages or series of cages and partitioned on the basis of flag Member State or CPC of origin and catch year. However, if the bluefin tuna has been caught in the context of a joint fishing operation, the catches concerned shall be placed in separate cages or series of cages and partitioned on the basis of the joint fishing operation and catch year.

Fish shall be caged before 22 August of each year, unless the competent authorities of the Member State responsible for the farm provide valid reasons, including force majeure, which shall accompany the caging report when submitted. In any case, the fish shall not be caged after 7 September of each year. The above deadlines do not apply in case of inter-farm transfers.

Farm Member States shall ensure that caging operations shall be monitored by their control authorities using both conventional and stereoscopic cameras. Video records shall be produced for each caging operation in accordance with the minimum standards for video recording procedures set out in Annex X.

If the quality of the control camera video recording used to determine the number and weight of the bluefin tuna individuals caged does not comply with the minimum standards for video recording procedures set out in Annex X, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall order a control caging until the determination of the number and weight of the bluefin tuna individuals is possible. The repetition of the caging operation shall not be subject to a new caging authorisation.

In case of a control caging, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall ensure that the donor farm cage is sealed and that the cage cannot be manipulated prior to the new caging operation. The receiving farm cages used in the control caging shall be empty.

On completion of the caging operation, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall ensure that the ICCAT regional observer has immediate access to all control camera video records and is allowed to make a copy where needed to complete the task of analysing those video records at another time or place.

Farm Member States shall ensure that, for each caging operation, the farm operator submits an ICCAT declaration on caging within 1 week after the actual caging operation has taken place, using the template set out in Annex XIV.

Where, for a single catching operation, there is a difference greater than 10 % between the number of the bluefin tuna individuals being caged as communicated by the competent authority of the farm Member State in accordance with Article 51(3), from the number reported in the eBCD or ITD as caught and/or transferred, the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State shall launch an investigation to determine the accurate catch weight to be deducted from the national bluefin tuna quota.

In support of the investigation referred to in the paragraph 1 the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State shall request all the complementary information and the results of the relevant video record analysis conducted by the competent authorities of the flag and farm Member State that have been involved in the transport and the caging operation concerned.

The competent authorities of the Member States, including the flag Member States of the vessels that have been involved in the transport of the fish, shall cooperate actively, including through the exchange of all information and documentation at their disposal.

The competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State shall conclude the investigation within 1 month from the communication of the caging results by the competent authority of the farm Member State.

A difference greater than 10 % between the number of bluefin tuna individuals reported caught by the vessel or trap concerned and the number determined by the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State as result of the investigation shall constitute potential non-compliance of the vessel or trap concerned.

The margin of error of 10 % referred to in paragraphs 1 and 5 shall be expressed as a percentage of the figures reported by the master of the fishing vessel or the master’s representative, or the trap operator or the trap operator’s representative, and shall be applicable at the level of individual caging operation.

The catching flag or trap Member State shall determine the weight of bluefin tuna to be deducted from its national bluefin tuna quota, taking into account the quantities caged, calculated in accordance with Annex XI, which ensures that weight at caging is calculated based on the length-weight relationship for wild fish, and the reported mortalities, in accordance with Annex XIII.

However, where the investigation referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article concludes that bluefin tuna individuals are lost fish as defined in Annex XIII, the weight of the lost fish shall be deducted from the quota of the Member State in accordance with Annex XIII, by applying the average individual weight at caging communicated by the competent authority of the farm Member State, to the number of bluefin tuna individuals in the catch as determined by the competent authority of the flag or trap Member State resulting from its analysis of the first transfer video record in the context of the investigation.

Notwithstanding paragraph 8, after consulting the competent authority of the flag Member State involved in the transport of fish to the farm of destination, the competent authority of the flag or trap Member State may decide not to deduct from the quota of the Member State the fish determined in the investigation as lost fish, where the losses have been duly documented as force majeure by the operator (i.e. pictures of the damaged cage, meteorological reports), the relevant information has been communicated to competent authority of the Member State of the operator immediately after the event and the losses did not result in known mortalities.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall determine the number and weight of bluefin tuna individuals being caged, by analysing the video record of each caging operation provided by the farm operator. To carry out that analysis, the competent authorities of the farm Member State shall follow the procedures set out in Annex XI.

When there is a difference greater than 10 % between the number or the weight determined by competent authority of the farm Member State and the corresponding figures reported in the ICCAT declaration on caging, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall launch an investigation to identify the reasons for the discrepancy and, as appropriate, adjust the number and/or weight of bluefin tuna individuals that have been caged. That margin of error of 10 % shall be expressed as a percentage of the figures provided by the farm operator.

After the completion of a caging operation or, in case of a joint fishing operation or of traps of the same Member State, of the last caging operation associated with that joint fishing operation or with those traps, the farm Member State shall communicate the results of the stereoscopical programme referred to in Annex XI to the catching flag or trap Member State or CPC in accordance with Section B, point 2, of Annex XI.

The farm Member State shall also communicate the results of the stereoscopical programme referred to in paragraph 3 to the entity operating the ICCAT regional observer programme on behalf of ICCAT.

The stereoscopical programme referred to in paragraph 3 shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures set out in Annex XI. Alternative methods may only be used if they have been endorsed by ICCAT during its annual meeting.

Each farm Member State shall submit the procedures and results related to the stereoscopical programme or alternative methods referred to in paragraph 5 to the Commission by 30 September of each year in order to be transmitted to the SCRS by 31 October of each year.

All bluefin tuna that die during a caging operation shall be reported by the farm operator, in accordance with Annex XIII.

The catching flag or trap Member State shall issue a release order, in accordance with the procedures set out in Annex XII, for the quantities caged which exceed the quantities declared caught and transferred, if:

The results of the stereoscopical programme shall be used to decide if releases are required and the caging declarations and relevant sections of the BCD shall be completed accordingly. When a release order has been issued, the farm operator shall request the presence of a national control authority and an ICCAT regional observer to monitor the release.

The determination of the fish to be released shall be done in accordance with Section B, point 3, of Annex XI.

If the weight of bluefin tuna being caged is in excess of that which had been declared as caught and/or transferred, the competent authority of the catching flag or trap Member State shall issue a release order and communicate it without delay to the competent authority of the farm Member State concerned. The release order shall be issued in accordance with Section B, point 3, of Annex XI, taking into account possible compensation at the joint fishing operation or trap level, in accordance with Section B, point 5, of Annex XI.

The release operation shall be conducted in accordance with the protocol set out in Annex XII.

Processing vessels intending to operate in farms or traps shall send a prior notification to the farm or trap Member State at least 48 hours before arrival of the vessel to the farm or trap area. The prior notification shall include at least the date and estimated time of arrival and information as to whether the processing vessel has bluefin tuna on board, and, if so, shall provide details on the cargo, including quantities in processed weight and live weight and details of the origin (farm or trap and Member State or CPC) of the bluefin tuna on board.

Any harvesting operation in farms or traps shall be subject to an authorisation by the farm or trap Member State. To that end, the operator of the farm or trap intending to harvest bluefin tuna shall submit to its farm or trap Member State, as applicable, a request for authorisation, which shall include at least the following information:

Except for bluefin tuna individuals which are close to dying, no harvesting operation shall be authorised before the results of the quota uptake in accordance with Article 50(7) to (9) has been determined and the associated releases have been conducted.

Harvesting operations shall not take place without the presence of a national observer in the case of traps or an ICCAT regional observer in the case of harvesting in farms. For fish delivered to processing vessels, the national observer or ICCAT regional observer may perform their relevant tasks from the processing vessels.

The competent authorities of the farm or trap Member States shall verify and cross-check the results of all harvesting operations taking place in farms and traps under their jurisdiction, using all relevant information in their possession. The competent control authorities of the farm or trap Member States shall inspect all harvesting operations of bluefin tuna destined for processing vessels and a percentage of the rest of harvesting operations based on risk analysis.

When the destination of the bluefin tuna is a processing vessel, the master of the processing vessel or its representative, shall complete a processing declaration. When the harvested bluefin tuna is to be landed directly into port, the operator of the farm or trap shall complete a harvesting declaration. The processing and harvesting declarations shall be validated by the national observer or ICCAT regional observer present at the harvesting operation.

The processing and harvesting declarations shall be transmitted by e-mail to the competent authorities of the farm Member State within 48 hours of the harvesting operation using the template set out in Annex XVb.

Intra-farm transfer shall not take place without the authorisation and the presence of the competent authority of the farm Member State. Each transfer shall be recorded by control cameras to confirm the number of bluefin tuna individuals transferred. The video recording shall comply with the minimum standards for video recording procedures set out in Annex X. The competent authority of the farm Member State shall monitor and control those transfers and shall ensure that each intra-farm transfer is recorded in the eBCD system.

Notwithstanding the definition of caging in Article 5, point 30, the relocation of bluefin tuna individuals between two different locations on the same farm (intra-farm transfer) using a transport cage, shall not be considered as caging for the purposes of Section 7.

During intra-farm transfers, regrouping fish of the same flag origin and the same joint fishing operation, may be authorised by the competent authority of the farm Member State, providing that traceability and the applicability of the SCRS’s growth rates are maintained.

The competent authority of the farm Member State and the farm operator shall retain the video records from intra-farm transfers undertaken in farms under its jurisdiction for a minimum of 3 years and keep the information for as long as necessary for enforcement purposes.

Prior to the beginning of the next purse seine vessel and trap fishing seasons, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall thoroughly assess the live bluefin tuna carried-over in the farms under its jurisdiction. To that end, the live bluefin tuna concerned shall be transferred to empty cages and monitored using control cameras in order to determine the number and the weight of bluefin tuna individuals transferred.

By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the carry-over of bluefin tuna from years and cages where no harvest occurred shall be controlled annually by applying the random control procedure set out in Article 56e.

The live bluefin tuna carried over shall be placed in separate cages or series of cages in the farm and partitioned on the basis of the joint fishing operation or same trap Member State or CPC of origin and catch year.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall ensure that the control camera video record from the carry-over assessment transfers complies with the relevant minimum standards for video recording procedures set out in Annex X and that the determination of the number and weight of carried-over bluefin tuna individuals is in accordance with Section A of Annex XI.

Until the SCRS develops an algorithm to convert length into weight for fattened or farmed fish or both, the determination of the weight of the carried-over bluefin tuna individuals shall be conducted using the most updated growth rate tables produced by the SCRS.

A difference by number of bluefin tuna individuals between the number resulting from the carry-over assessment and the expected number after harvest shall be duly investigated by the competent authority of the farm Member State and recorded in the eBCD system. In the case of an excess number, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall order the release of the corresponding number of bluefin tuna individuals. The release operation shall be conducted in accordance with Annex XII. Compensation for differences between different cages in the farm shall not be allowed. The competent authority of the farm Member State may allow a margin of error of up to 5 % between the number of bluefin tuna individuals resulting from the carry-over assessment and the number of individuals expected to be present in the cage.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall retain the video record and all the relevant documentation from carry-over assessments undertaken in farms under its jurisdiction for a minimum of 3 years and shall keep that information as long as necessary for enforcement purposes.

The competent authorities of the farm Member States shall complete and transmit, attached to the revised farming management plan, an annual carry-over declaration to the Commission within 10 days after the end of the carry-over assessment. Such declaration shall include at least the following information:

The stereoscopical system report, where applicable, shall be attached to the annual carry-over declaration.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall carry out random controls in farms under its jurisdiction. The minimum random controls referred to in paragraph 2 shall take place in farms between the time of completion of the caging operations and the first caging of the following year. Such controls shall involve the compulsory transfer of all bluefin tuna individuals from farm cages to other farm cages in order that the number of bluefin tuna individuals can be counted by way of control video records.

Each farm Member State shall set a minimum number of random controls to be performed on each farm under its jurisdiction. The number of random controls shall cover at least 10 % of the number of cages in each farm after completion of the caging operations, involving at least one control per farm and rounded up where needed. The selection of cages to be controlled shall be based on risk analysis. The planning for random controls to be carried out shall be reflected in the Member State’s monitoring, control and inspection plan referred to in Article 14.

Although not mandatory, the competent authority of the farm Member State may give the farms concerned a maximum of 2 calendar days prior notice that a random control will take place. In such cases, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall only communicate the selected cages to the farm operator upon arrival at the farm concerned.

The farm operators shall take all appropriate steps to facilitate the random controls and, where prior notice is given, they shall ensure that all means are in place in order that random controls can be carried out by the competent authority of the farm Member State at any time, and in any cage in the farm.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall strive to reduce the time between the ordering of the random controls and date when the control operations are carried out. The competent authority of the farm Member State shall ensure that all necessary measures are taken to ensure that the farm operator does not have the possibility to manipulate the cages concerned before the random control takes place.

Following the random control, any difference between the number of bluefin tuna individuals determined by the random controls and the number expected to be present in the cage shall be duly investigated and recorded in the eBCD system. In the case of an excess number, the competent authority of the farm Member State shall order the release of the corresponding number of bluefin tuna individuals. The release operation shall be conducted in accordance with Annex XII. Compensation for differences between different cages in the farm shall not be allowed. The competent authority of the farm Member State may allow a margin of error of 5 % between the number of bluefin tuna individuals resulting from the control transfer and the number of individuals expected to be present in the cage.

The competent authority of the farm Member State shall retain all video records from random controls undertaken in farms under its jurisdiction for a minimum of 3 years and shall keep that information as long as necessary for enforcement purposes.

The results of the random controls shall be communicated by the Commission to the ICCAT Secretariat before the start of the new purse seine vessel fishing season applicable to each Member State in accordance with Article 17, for transmission to the ICCAT Compliance Committee.

The transfer of live bluefin tuna individuals between two different farms shall not take place without the prior written authorisation from the competent authorities of the farm Member States concerned.

The transfer from the donor farm cage to the transport cage shall comply with the requirements set out in Section 6 including a video record to confirm the number of bluefin tuna individuals transferred, the completion of an ITD and the verification of the operation by an ICCAT regional observer.

Notwithstanding paragraph 2, in cases where an entire farm cage is to be moved to the farm of destination, it shall not be necessary to video record the operation and the cage shall be transported sealed to the farm of destination.

The caging of the bluefin tuna at the farm of destination shall be subject to the requirements for caging operations set out in Articles 46a and 49 and Article 51(1), (2) and (7), including a video recording to confirm the number and weight of the bluefin tuna individuals caged and the verification of the operation by an ICCAT regional observer. The determination of the weight for bluefin tuna individuals being caged from another farm shall not apply until the SCRS has developed an algorithm to convert length into weight for fattened or farmed fish or both.

By way of derogation from Article 9(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, flag Member States shall implement VMS for all their fishing vessels with a length overall equal to or greater than 12 metres and for all their towing vessels, irrespective of their length, and in accordance with Annex XV to this Regulation. All such vessels shall transmit messages at least once every two hours, except for towing vessels and purse seine vessels which shall transmit at least every hour.

Fishing vessels required to have VMS in accordance with paragraph 1 shall begin to transmit VMS data to the ICCAT Secretariat at least 5 days before their period of authorisation and shall continue at least 5 days after their period of authorisation, unless a request is sent in advance to the Commission for the vessel to be removed from the ICCAT record of vessels.

For control purposes, the master or the master’s representative shall ensure that the transmission of VMS data from catching vessels that are authorised to fish actively for bluefin tuna is not interrupted when vessels are in port unless there is a system of hailing in and out of port.

Member States shall ensure that their fisheries monitoring centres forward to the Commission and a body designated by it, in real time and using the format ‘https data feed’, the VMS messages received from the fishing vessels flying their flag. The Commission shall forward those messages to the ICCAT Secretariat.

Member States shall ensure that:

Each Member State shall ensure that all messages made available to its inspection vessels are treated in a confidential manner and are limited to inspection at sea operations.

Joint international inspection activities shall be carried out in accordance with the ICCAT Scheme of Joint International Inspection (‘the ICCAT scheme’) for international control outside the waters under national jurisdiction, as set out in Annex IX to this Regulation.

Member States whose fishing vessels are authorised to operate for bluefin tuna shall assign inspectors and carry out inspections at sea under the ICCAT scheme.

Where at any time, more than 15 fishing vessels flagged to a Member State are engaged in bluefin tuna activities in the Convention Area, the Member State concerned shall, on the basis of risk assessment, deploy an inspection vessel for the purpose of inspection and control at sea in the Convention Area throughout the period that those vessels are there. That obligation shall be deemed to have been complied with where Member States cooperate to deploy an inspection vessel or where a Union inspection vessel is deployed in the Convention Area.

The Commission or a body designated by it may assign Union inspectors to the ICCAT scheme.

For the purposes of paragraph 3, the Commission or a body designated by it shall coordinate the surveillance and inspection activities for the Union. The Commission may draw up, in coordination with the Member States concerned, joint inspection programmes to enable the Union to fulfil its obligation under the ICCAT scheme. Member States whose fishing vessels are engaged in the fishery of bluefin tuna shall adopt the necessary measures to facilitate the implementation of those programmes particularly as regards the human and material resources required and the periods when and geographical areas where those resources are to be deployed.

Member States shall inform the Commission by 1 April of each year of the names of the inspectors and the inspection vessels they intend to assign to the ICCAT scheme during the year. Using that information, the Commission shall draw up, in collaboration with the Member States, a plan for the Union participation in the ICCAT scheme each year, which it shall send to the ICCAT Secretariat and the Member States.

Each Member State shall verify information and timely submission of inspection and observer reports, VMS data and, where appropriate, e-BCDs, logbooks of their fishing vessels, transfer and transhipment documents and catch documents, in accordance with Article 109 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009.

Each Member State shall carry out cross-checks on all landings, all transhipments or caging between the quantities by species recorded in the fishing vessel logbook or quantities by species recorded in the transhipment declaration and the quantities recorded in the landing declaration or caging declaration, and any other relevant document, such as invoices or sales notes.

Without prejudice to Regulations (EC) No 1224/2009 and (EC) No 1005/2008 and Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council ([^E0006]), Union trade, landing, import, export, placing in cages for fattening or farming, re-export and transhipment of bluefin tuna that are not accompanied by the accurate, complete and validated documentation as required under this Regulation or under other Union legal acts implementing ICCAT rules on the bluefin tuna catch documentation programme shall be prohibited.

Union trade, import, landing, placing in cages for fattening or farming, processing, export, re-export and transhipment of bluefin tuna shall be prohibited where:

Without prejudice to Regulations (EC) No 1224/2009, (EC) No 1005/2008 and (EU) No 1379/2013, Union trade, imports, landings, processing and exports of bluefin tuna from fattening or farming farms that do not comply with the Regulations referred to in paragraph 1 shall be prohibited.

The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 67 concerning amendments to this Regulation in order to adapt it to measures adopted by ICCAT that bind the Union and its Member States as regards:

Any amendments adopted in accordance with paragraph 1 shall be strictly limited to the implementation of amendments and/or supplements to the respective ICCAT recommendations which are binding on the Union.

The power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission subject to the conditions laid down in this Article.

The power to adopt delegated acts referred to in Article 66 shall be conferred on the Commission for a period of five years from 17 October 2023. The Commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power no later than nine months before the end of the five-year period. The delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration, unless the European Parliament or the Council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period.

The delegation of power referred to in Article 66 may be revoked at any time by the European Parliament or the Council. A decision to revoke shall put an end to the delegation of the power specified in that decision. It shall take effect the day following the publication of the decision in the Official Journal of the European Union or at a later date specified therein. It shall not affect the validity of any delegated act already in force.

Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making.

As soon as it adopts a delegated act, the Commission shall notify it simultaneously to the European Parliament and to the Council.

A delegated act adopted pursuant to Article 66 shall enter into force only if no objection has been expressed either by the European Parliament or by the Council within a period of two months of notification of that act to the European Parliament or the Council or if, before the expiry of that period, the European Parliament and the Council have both informed the Commission that they will not object. That period shall be extended by two months at the initiative of the European Parliament or of the Council.

The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture established under Article 47 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013. That committee shall be a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

Where reference is made to this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.

Regulation (EU) 2016/1627 is repealed.

References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance with the correlation table set out in Annex XVI to this Regulation.