This Regulation lays down detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 850/98 as regards the determination of the mesh size and the assessment of the twine thickness of fishing nets by F1... inspectors.

For the purpose of this Regulation, the following definitions shall apply:

1. (a)

   ‘mesh gauge’ means a mesh measurement gauge with two jaws, which automatically applies longitudinal forces, in the range of 5 to 180 Newton (N) to the meshes with a precision of 1 N;

2. (b)

   ‘active gear’ means any fishing gear for which the catch operation requires an active movement of the gear, including in particular towed gears, encircling gears, trawls, Danish seines and similar towed nets;

3. (c)

   ‘passive gear’ means any fishing gear for which the catch operation does not require an active movement of the gear, and includes gillnets, entangling nets, trammel nets, trap-nets, lines, pots and traps;

4. (d)

   ‘N-direction’ for knotted netting means the direction at right angles to the general course of the netting yarn, as shown in Annex I;

5. (e)

   ‘T-direction’ means:

   1. (i)

      for knotted netting: the direction parallel to the general course of the netting yarn, as shown in Annex I;

   2. (ii)

      for knotless netting: the direction at right angle to N-direction;

6. (f)

   ‘mesh size’ means:

   1. (i)

      for knotted netting: the longest distance between two opposite knots in the same mesh when fully extended as shown in Annex I;

   2. (ii)

      for knotless netting: the inside distance between the opposite joints in the same mesh when fully extended along its longest possible axis;

7. (g)

   ‘diamond mesh’ means a mesh as shown in figure 1 of Annex II, composed of four bars of the same length where the two diagonals of the mesh are perpendicular and one diagonal is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the net as shown in figure 2 of Annex II;

8. (h)

   ‘square mesh’ means a quadrilateral mesh composed of two sets of parallel bars of the same length, where one set is parallel to, and the other is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the net;

9. (i)

   ‘T90 mesh’ means a diamond mesh from knotted netting, as shown in figure 1 of Annex II, mounted so that the T-direction of the netting is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the net.

F4A fisheries administration must ensure that the calibrated test weights and calibrated test measuring plate provided for in figure 1 of Annex V F5are certified by the F6appropriate certification authority and marked ‘EC’.

The accuracy of the mesh gauge shall be verified by:

1. (a)

   inserting the jaws of the gauge into slots of the calibrated test plate as provided for in figure 1 of Annex V;

2. (b)

   hanging the calibrated test weights on the fixed jaw, as provided for in figure 2 of Annex V.

The mesh gauge shall be:

1. (a)

   prepared in accordance with Annex VI;

2. (b)

   operated in accordance with Annex VII.

When measuring diamond and T90 meshes in:

1. (a)

   knotted and knotless netting when the N-direction can be determined, the netting shall be stretched in the N-direction of the meshes, as shown in Annex VII;

2. (b)

   knotless netting when the N-direction cannot be determined, the longest axis of the mesh shall be measured.

Meshes shall be measured only when wet and unfrozen.

The mesh size of the net shall be determined as the mean value, displayed by the gauge, of the series of 20 selected meshes.

Twines in diamond mesh netting shall be selected in the following way, as shown in Annex VIII:

1. (a)

   in the case of single twine netting, the twine on opposite sides of 10 meshes shall be selected;

2. (b)

   in the case of double twine netting, each strand of twine on opposite sides of five meshes shall be selected.

Twines in square mesh netting shall be selected in the following way, as shown in Annex VIII:

1. (a)

   in the case of single twine netting, the twine on only one side of 20 meshes shall be selected, with the same side being selected in each mesh;

2. (b)

   in the case of double twine netting, each strand of twine on only one side of 10 meshes shall be assessed, with the same side being selected in each mesh.

A gauge with a circular hole with a diameter equal to the maximum twine thickness permitted for the part of the net considered shall be used by the inspector.

Twines shall be assessed when unfrozen.

When the thickness of the twine prevents the closure of the jaws of the gauge or the twine does not pass easily through the hole when the jaws are closed, the assessment of the thickness of a twine shall be noted by the inspector as a negative assessment (–).

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