Technical measures
Technical measures is a catch-all term for the whole range of rules governing how and where fishers may fish - as opposed to how much they may fish (fishing effort) and/or catch (TACs and quotas).
Technical measures include:
- minimum landing sizes
- minimum mesh sizes for nets
- closed areas and seasons
- limits on by-catches (catches of unwanted or non-target species)
- requirement to use more selective fishing gear to reduce unwanted by-catch)
- measures to prevent damage to the marine environment.
Technical measures differ considerably from one sea basin to another, according to local conditions.
Further reading
Guide to EU fisheries policy 
[2 MB] 
see chapter 7 ("Technical measures, targeted regulations") [54 KB]
Official documents
Legislation
Regulation (EU) No 579/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms and Council Regulation (EC) No 1288/2009 establishing transitional technical measures from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2011
Commission Regulation (EU) No 686/2010 of 28 July 2010 amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005 as regards specifications of Bacoma window and T90 trawl in fisheries carried out in the Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound
Council Regulation (EC) No 1288/2009 of 27 November 2009 establishing transitional technical measures from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2011
Commission Regulation (EC) No 517/2008 of 10 June 2008 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 as regards the determination of the mesh size and assessing the thickness of twine of fishing nets
Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005 of 21 December 2005 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures in the Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound, amending Regulation (EC) No 1434/98 and repealing Regulation (EC) No 88/98
CORRIGENDUM TO: Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms
Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms
Proposals
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005 for the conservation of fishery through technical measures in the Baltic Sea, the Belts and the Sound - COM/2012/0591 final
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on certain technical and control measures in the Skagerrak and amending Regulation (EC) No 850/98 and Regulation (EC) No 1342/2008 - COM/2012/471 final
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing specific conditions to fishing for deep-sea stocks in the North-East Atlantic and provisions for fishing in international waters of the North-East Atlantic and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2347/2002 - COM/2012/371 final
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 concerning the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1288/2009 - COM/2012/298 final
Communications
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, Action Plan for reducing incidental catches of seabirds in fishing gears - COM/2012/0665 final
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, Cetacean incidental catches in Fisheries: Report on the implementation of certain provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 812/2004 and on a scientific assessment of the effects of using in particular gillnets, trammel nets and entangling nets on cetaceans in the Baltic Sea as requested through Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005 - COM/2009/368 final
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: Promoting more environmentally-friendly fishing methods: the role of technical conservation measures - COM/2004/0438 final
Reports
Report from the Commission to the Council on the selectivity in trawl fisheries for cod in the Baltic Sea - COM/2008/870 final