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1. Purse seine fishing for bluefin tuna shall be permitted in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean from 26 May until 1 July of each year.

2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, Cyprus and Greece may request in their annual fishing plans, as referred to in Article 11, that purse seine vessels flying their flag be allowed to fish for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Mediterranean (FAO fishing areas 37.3.1 and 37.3.2) from 15 May until 1 July of each year.

3. By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, Croatia may request in its annual fishing plan, as referred to in Article 11, that purse seine vessels flying its flag be allowed to fish for bluefin tuna for farming purposes in the Adriatic Sea (FAO fishing area 37.2.1) from 26 May until 15 July of each year.

4. By way of derogation from paragraphs 1, 2 and 3, if weather conditions prevent fishing operations, Member States may decide that the fishing seasons referred in those paragraphs be expanded by an equivalent number of lost days up to 10 days.

4a. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, Spain may request in its annual fishing plan for 2025, as referred to in Article 11, that purse seine vessels involved in the pilot project for farming bluefin tuna in the Cantabrian Sea be allowed to fish for bluefin tuna in the Cantabrian Sea (ICES fishing area 27.8.b and 27.8.c) from 26 May 2025 until 30 September 2025.

5. Bluefin tuna fishing shall be permitted in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea by large-scale pelagic longline catching vessels during the period from 1 January to 31 May of each year with the exception of the area delimited by West of 10°W and North of 42°N.

6. Member States shall establish fishing seasons for their fleets, other than purse seine vessels and large scale pelagic longline vessels, in their annual fishing plans.