Council Regulation (EC) No 2287/2003 (repealed)Show full title

CHAPTER VI SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR COMMUNITY VESSELS FISHING IN THE NAFO REGULATORY AREA

SECTION 1 Community participation

Article 25 List of vessels

1. Only EC vessels of more than 50 gross tonnes which have been issued a special fishing permit by their flag Member State shall be authorised, on the conditions set out in the permit, to fish, keep on board, trans-ship and land fishery resources from the NAFO Regulatory Area.

2. Each Member State shall send to the Commission, in computer readable form, a list of all vessels of more than 50 gross tonnes flying its flag and registered in the Community that are authorised to fish in the NAFO Regulatory Area.

3. The list referred to in paragraph 2 shall be transmitted to the Commission within 15 days following the entry into force of this Regulation and, in the case of amendments to the list, at least 5 days before the new vessel enters the NAFO Regulatory area. The Commission shall forward this information promptly to the NAFO Secretariat.

4. The list referred to in paragraph 2 shall contain the following information:

(a) the internal number of the vessel, as defined in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2090/98 of 30 September 1998 concerning the fishing vessel register of the Community(1);

(b) international radio call sign;

(c) vessel charterer, where applicable;

(d) vessel type.

5. For vessels temporarily flying the flag of a Member State (bare boat charter), the information forwarded shall include:

(a) date from which the vessel has been authorised to fly the flag of the Member State;

(b) date from which the vessel has been authorised by the Member State to engage in fishing in the NAFO Regulatory Area;

(c) name of the State where the vessel is registered or has been previously registered and the date as from which it ceased flying the flag of that State;

(d) name of the vessel;

(e) official registration number of the vessel assigned by the competent national authorities;

(f) home port of the vessel after the transfer;

(g) name of owner or charterer of the vessel;

(h) a declaration that the master has been provided with a copy of the regulations in force in the NAFO Regulatory Area;

(i) the principal species which can be fished by the vessel in the NAFO Regulatory Area;

(j) the sub-areas where the vessel may be expected to fish.

SECTION 2 Technical measures

Article 26 Mesh sizes

The use of trawl net having in any section thereof net meshes of dimensions less than 130 mm shall be prohibited for direct fishing of the species referred to in Annex X. This mesh size may be reduced to a minimum of 60 mm for direct fishing of short-finned squid (Illex illecebrosus). For direct fishing of skates (Rajidae) this mesh size shall be increased to a minimum of 280 mm in the cod-end and 220 mm in all other parts of the trawl.

Vessels fishing for shrimp (Pandalus borealis) shall use nets with a minimum mesh size of 40 mm.

Article 27 Attachments to nets

1. The use of any means or device other than those described in this Article which obstructs the meshes of a net or which diminishes their size shall be prohibited.

2. Canvas, netting or any other material may be attached to the underside of the cod-end in order to reduce or prevent damage.

3. Devices may be attached to the upper side of the cod-end provided that they do not obstruct the meshes of the cod-end. The use of top-side chafers shall be limited to those listed in Annex XI.

4. Vessels fishing for shrimp (Pandalus borealis) shall use sorting grids or grates with a maximum spacing between bars of 22 mm. Vessels fishing for shrimp in Division 3L shall also be equipped with toggle chains of a minimum of 72 cm in length.

Article 28 By-catches

1. Masters of vessels may not conduct directed fisheries for species for which by-catch limits apply. A directed fishery for a species is conducted when that species comprises the largest percentage by weight of the catch in any one haul.

2. By-catches of the species listed in Annex ID for which no quotas have been fixed by the Community for a part of the NAFO Regulatory Area and taken in that part when fishing directly for any species may not exceed for each species 2 500 kg or 10 % by weight of the total catch retained on board, whichever is the greater. However, in a part of the Regulatory Area where directed fishing of certain species is banned, by-catches of each of the species listed in Annex ID shall not exceed 1 250 kg or 5 % respectively.

3. Whenever the total amounts of species for which by-catch limits apply in any haul exceed the limits laid down in paragraph 2, whichever is applicable, vessels shall immediately move a minimum of five nautical miles from the previous haul position. Whenever the total amounts of species for which by-catch limits apply in any subsequent haul exceed the said limits, vessels shall again immediately move a minimum of five nautical miles from the previous haul position and shall not return to the area for at least 48 hours.

4. For vessels fishing for shrimp (Pandalus borealis), in the event that total by-catches of all species listed in Annex ID in any haul exceed 5 % by weight in Division 3M and 2,5 % in Division 3L, vessels shall immediately move a minimum of five nautical miles from the position of the previous haul.

Catches of shrimp shall not be used in the calculation of by-catch level of groundfish species.

Article 29 Minimum size of fish

Fish from the NAFO Regulatory Area which do not have the size required as set out in Annex XII may not be processed, retained on board, trans-shipped, landed, transported, stored, sold, displayed or offered for sale, but shall be returned immediately to the sea. Where the quantity of caught fish not having the required size exceeds 10 % of the total quantity, the vessel shall move away to a distance of at least five nautical miles from any position of the previous haul before continuing fishing. Any processed fish for which minimum fish size requirements apply which is below a length equivalent in Annex XII, shall be deemed to originate from fish that is below the minimum fish size.

SECTION 3 Control measures

Article 30 Logbook and storage plan

1. In addition to complying with Articles 6, 8, 11 and 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93, masters of vessels shall enter in the logbook the information listed in Annex XIII to this Regulation.

2. Each Member State shall, in computer readable form, before the 15th of each month, notify the Commission of the quantities of stocks specified in Annex XIV landed during the preceding month and communicate any information received under Articles 11 and 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93.

3. The master of a Community vessel shall, in respect of catches of the species listed in Annex ID, keep:

(a) a logbook stating, by species and by processed product, the aggregate output; or

(b) a storage plan of products processed, indicating, by species, where they are located in the hold.

4. The master shall provide the necessary assistance to enable the quantities declared in the logbook and the processed products stored on board to be verified.

Article 31 Nets

When fishing directly for one or more of the species listed in Annex X, vessels shall not carry nets with a mesh size smaller than that laid down in Article 26. However, vessels fishing in the course of the same voyage in areas other than the NAFO Regulatory Area may keep such nets on board provided these nets are securely lashed and stowed and are not available for immediate use, that is to say:

(a)

nets shall be unshackled from their boards and their hauling or trawling cables and ropes; and

(b)

nets carried on or above the deck must be lashed securely to a part of the superstructure.

Article 32 Trans-shipment

Community vessels shall not engage in trans-shipment operations in the NAFO Regulatory Area unless they have received prior authorisation to do so from their competent authorities.

Article 33 Monitoring of fishing effort

1. Each Member State shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the fishing effort of its vessels referred to in Article 25 be commensurate to the fishing possibilities available to that Member State in the NAFO Regulatory Area.

2. Member States shall transmit to the Commission the fishing plan for their vessels fishing for species in the NAFO Regulatory Area no later than 31 January 2004 or thereafter, at least 30 days before the commencement of such activity. The fishing plan shall identify, inter alia, the vessel or vessels which will engage in these fisheries. The fishing plan shall represent the total fishing effort to be deployed with respect to the fisheries in relation to the extent of the fishing opportunities available to the Member State making the notification.

Member States shall, no later than 31 December 2004, report to the Commission on the implementation of their fishing plans, including the number of vessels actually engaged in this fishery and the total number of days fished.

SECTION 4 Special provisions for Northern prawns

Article 34 Northern prawn fisheries

Each Member State shall report to the Commission daily the quantities of Northern prawns (Pandalus borealis) caught in Division 3L of the NAFO Regulatory Area by vessels flying its flag and registered in the Community. All fishing activities shall take place in depths greater than 200 metres and shall be limited to one vessel per each Member State allocation at any one time.

SECTION 5 Special provisions for Greenland halibut

Article 35 Special fishing permit for Greenland halibut

1. It shall be prohibited for Community vessels with a length overall of more than 24 metres which are not entered into the list referred to in paragraph 2 to fish, retain onboard, trans-ship or land Greenland halibut.

2. Each Member State shall send to the Commission a list of all vessels of more than 24 metres overall length flying its flag and registered in the Community that it authorises to fish for Greenland halibut in Sub-area 2 and Divisions 3KLMNO by issue of a special fishing permit.

3. The list referred to in paragraph 2 shall include the internal number as defined in Annex I of Commission Regulation (EC) No 2090/98.

4. This list shall be transmitted to the Commission in computer readable form within 15 days following the entry into force of this Regulation and, in the case of amendments to the list, at least 5 days before the new vessel enters Sub-area 2 and Divisions 3KLMNO. The Commission shall forward the list promptly to the NAFO Secretariat.

5. Each Member State shall take the necessary measures to allocate its quota for Greenland halibut among its authorised vessels referred to in paragraph 2. Member States shall transmit the information concerning the allocation of quotas to the Commission within 15 days following the entry into force of this Regulation.

Article 36 Reports

1. Masters of vessels referred in Article 35(2) shall transmit the following reports to the Flag Member State:

(a) The quantities of Greenland halibut retained onboard when the Community vessel enters Sub-area 2 and Divisions 3KLMNO. This report shall be transmitted not earlier than 12 hours and not later than 6 hours in advance of each entry of the vessel to this zone.

(b) Weekly catches of Greenland halibut. This report shall be transmitted for the first time no later than the end of the seventh day following the entry of the vessel into Sub-area 2 and Divisions 3 KLMNO, or, when fishing trips take more than seven days, at the latest on Monday for catches that have been taken in the Sub-area 2 and Divisions 3 KLMNO during the preceding week ending at midnight on Sunday.

(c) The quantities of Greenland halibut held onboard when the Community vessel exits Sub-area 2 and Divisions 3KLMNO. This report shall be transmitted not earlier than 12 hours and not later than 6 hours in advance of each departure of the vessel from this zone and shall include the number of fishing days and the total catches in this zone.

(d) The quantities loaded and unloaded for each trans-shipment of Greenland halibut during the vessel's stay in Sub-area 2 and Divisions 3KLMNO. These reports shall be transmitted no later than 24 hours after the completion of the trans-shipment.

2. Member States shall, upon receipt, transmit the reports under paragraph 1(a), (c) and (d) to the Commission.

3. When catches of Greenland halibut notified in accordance with paragraph 2 are deemed to have exhausted 70 % of the Member States' quota allocation, Member States shall take necessary measures to reinforce the monitoring of the catches and shall inform the Commission of these measures.

Article 37 Designated ports

1. It is prohibited to land any quantities of Greenland halibut at any place other than ports designated by NAFO Contracting Parties. Landings of Greenland halibut in ports of non-Contracting Parties are prohibited.

2. Member States shall designate ports in which landings of Greenland halibut can take place and shall determine the associated inspection and surveillance procedures, including the terms and conditions for recording and reporting the quantities of Greenland halibut within each landing.

3. Member States shall transmit to the Commission within 15 days of the date of entry into force of this Regulation a list of designated ports and, within 15 days thereafter, the associated inspection and surveillance procedures referred to in paragraph 2. The Commission shall promptly forward this information to the NAFO Secretariat.

4. The Commission shall promptly transmit a list of the designated ports referred to in paragraph 2 as well as ports designated by other Contracting Parties of NAFO to all Member States.

Article 38 Inspection in port

1. Member States shall ensure that all vessels entering a designated port to land and/or trans-ship Greenland halibut undergo an inspection in port in accordance with the port inspection scheme of NAFO.

2. It is prohibited to discharge and/or trans-ship catches from vessels referred to in paragraph 1 until the inspectors are present.

3. All quantities discharged shall be weighed by species before being transported to a cold store or another destination.

4. Member States shall transmit the corresponding port inspection report to the NAFO Secretariat, with a copy to the Commission, within 7 working days from the date at which the inspection was completed.

Article 39 Prohibition of landings and trans-shipments for non-Contracting Party vessels

Member States shall ensure that landings and trans-shipments of Greenland halibut from non-Contracting Party vessels which have been engaged in fishing activities in the NAFO Regulatory Area are prohibited.

Article 40 Follow up on fishing activities

Member States shall submit a report to the Commission by 31 December 2004 at the latest on the implementation of the measures laid down in Articles 34 to 39, including the total number of days fished.

SECTION 6 Special provisions for redfish

Article 41 Redfish fishery

1. Every second Monday, the master of a Community vessel fishing for redfish in Division Sub-area 2 and Division IF, 3K and 3M of the NAFO Regulatory Area, shall notify to the competent authorities of the Member State, whose flag the vessel is flying or in which the vessel is registered, the quantities of redfish caught in those areas and zones in the two-week period ending at 12 midnight on the previous Sunday.

When accumulated catches reached 50 % of the TAC, the notification shall be made weekly each Monday.

2. Member States shall report to the Commission every second Tuesday before 12 noon for the fortnight ending at 12 midnight on the previous Sunday the quantities of redfish caught in Sub-area 2 and Divisions IF, 3K and 3M of the NAFO Regulatory Area by vessels flying their flag and registered in their territory.

When accumulated catches reached 50 % of the TAC, reports shall be sent on a weekly basis.

(1)

OJ L 266, 1.10.1998, p. 27. Regulation as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 839/2002 (OJ L 134, 22.5.2002, p. 5).