15.7.2004 Official Journal of the European Union L 2433 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1286/2004 of 14 July 2004 prohibiting fishing for whiting by vessels flying the flag of Belgium THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 of 12 October 1993 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy ('), and in particular Article 21(3) thereof, Whereas: (1)  Council Regulation (EC) No 2287/2003 of 19 December 2003 fixing for 2004 the fishing opportunities and asso- ciated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Community waters and, for Community vessels, in waters where limitations in catch are required (3), lays down quotas for whiting for 2004. (20 In order to ensure compliance with the provisions relating to the quantity limits on catches of stocks subject to quotas, the Commission must fix the date by which catches made by vessels flying the flag of a Member State are deemed to have exhausted the quota allocated. (3)  According to the information received by the Commission, catches of whiting in the waters of ICES zone VIla by vessels flying the flag of Belgium or registered in Belgium have exhausted the quota allocated for 2004. Belgium has prohibited fishing for this stock from 15 May 2004. This date should be adopted in this Regulation also, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 Catches of whiting in the waters of ICES zone VIla by vessels flying the flag of Belgium or registered in Belgium are hereby deemed to have exhausted the quota allocated to Belgium for 2004. Fishing for whiting in the waters of ICES zone VIIa by vessels flying the flag of Belgium or registered in Belgium is hereby prohibited, as are the retention on board, transhipment and landing of this stock caught by the above vessels after the date of application of this Regulation. 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 15 May 2004. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 14 July 2004. () OJ L 261, 20.10.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 1954/2003 (O] L 289, 7.11.2003, p. 1). () OJ L 344, 31.12.2003, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu- lation (EC) No 867/2004 (OJ L 161, 30.4.2004, p. 144). For the Commission Jorgen HOLMQUIST Director-General for Fisheries