Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2440Show full title

Article 5 Specific technical measures in the Skagerrak

1. The carrying on board or the use of any trawl, Danish seine, beam trawl or similar towed net having a mesh size of less than 120 mm shall be prohibited.

2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, trawls with at least 90 mm cod end may be used, provided they are equipped with:

(a) a square mesh panel of at least 140 mm;

(b) a diamond mesh panel of at least 270 mm placed in a four panel section and mounted with a joining ration of three meshes of 90 mm to one mesh of 270 mm; or

(c) a sorting grid with no more than 35 mm bar spacing.

The derogation provided for in points (a) and (b) of the first subparagraph shall apply provided the panel of the trawl is:

• at least 3 metres long,

• positioned no more than 4 metres from the cod line, and

• the full width of the top sheet of the trawl (i.e. from selvedge to selvedge).

3. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the following trawls also may be used:

(a) trawls with at least 70 mm square mesh cod end equipped with a sorting grid with no more than 35 mm bar spacing;

(b) trawls with minimum mesh sizes of less than 70 mm when fishing for pelagic or industrial species, provided the catch contains more than 80 % of one or more pelagic or industrial species;

(c) trawls with at least 35 mm cod end when fishing for Pandalus, provided the trawl is equipped with a sorting grid with a maximum bar spacing of 19 mm.

4. A fish retention device may be used when fishing for Pandalus in accordance with paragraph 3(c), provided there are adequate fishing opportunities to cover by-catch and that the retention device is

• constructed with a top panel of a minimum mesh size of 120 mm square mesh,

• at least 3 metres long, and

• at least as wide as the width of the sorting grid.