(a)

the full monitoring of caging operations taking place in the EU waters;

(b)

the full monitoring of transfer operations;

(c)

the full monitoring of joint fishing operations;

(d)

the control of all documents required by the legislation applicable to bluefin tuna, in particular verifying the reliability of the information recorded.

(1)

the details of the identity of the responsible persons, as well as those of the vessel, farm, trap, personnel etc. involved in the activities inspected;

(2)

the authorisations, licences and fishing authorisation;

(3)

relevant vessel documentation such as the logbooks, transfer and transhipment declarations, ICCAT bluefin tuna catch documents, re-export certificates and other documentation examined for the purpose of the control and inspection as provided for by ICCAT Recommendation 12-03;

(4)

detailed observation of the sizes of bluefin tuna caught, trapped, transferred, transhipped, landed, transported, farmed, processed or traded in the context of compliance with the provisions of the recovery plan;

(5)

the by-catch percentage of bluefin tuna retained on board vessels not fishing actively for bluefin tuna.

(1)

that the fishing vessels are authorised to operate (markings, identity, licence, fishing authorisation and ICCAT lists);

(2)

compliance with the vessel documentation requirements;

(3)

that the fishing vessels are equipped with an operational VMS and that requirements on VMS transmission are respected;

(4)

fishing vessels are not operating inside close areas and are respecting the closure of fishing seasons;

(5)

respect of quotas and by-catch limitations;

(6)

the size composition of catches on board;

(7)

the physical quantities of catches on board, and their presentation;

(8)

the fishing gear on board;

(9)

the presence of an observer where it is relevant.

(1)

compliance with the requirements regarding the prior transfer notification (where possible);

(2)

that the flag State has assigned and communicated to the master of the fishing vessel, or trap or farm as appropriate, an authorisation number for each transfer operation within 48 hours following the submission of the prior transfer notification;

(3)

compliance with the ICCAT transfer declaration requirements;

(4)

if the transfer declaration has been signed by the ICCAT regional observer on board and transmitted to the master of the towing vessel;

(5)

Compliance with the video recording requirements as defined in Annex 9 to ICCAT Recommendation 12-03.

(1)

compliance with the joint fishing operations’ requirements regarding the information to be reported in the fishing logbook including allocation key;

(2)

that a joint fishing operation authorisation has been delivered to the fishing vessels by their flag States authorities using the model set out in Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 302/2009;

(3)

the presence of an ICCAT regional observer during the joint fishing operation.

(1)

that fishing vessels are authorised to operate (markings, identity, licence, fishing authorisation and ICCAT lists, if relevant);

(2)

that the pre-notification of arrival for landing was received in due time by the competent authorities;

(3)

that a record of the landing is sent to the flag State authority of the fishing vessel, within 48 hours after the landing has ended;

(4)

that an accurate landing declaration is sent by the master of the catching vessel within 48 hours after the landing has ended to his/her flag state authorities and port state authorities where applicable;

(5)

that the fishing vessels are equipped with an operational VMS and that requirements on VMS transmission are respected;

(6)

compliance with the vessel documentation requirements;

(7)

the physical quantities of bluefin tuna on board, and presentation;

(8)

the total catch composition on board in order to verify the respect of by-catch rules and, in the case of longliners, the implementation of relevant management measures;

(9)

the size composition of catches of bluefin tuna on board in order to verify the minimum size rules);

(10)

the fishing gears on board;

(11)

in the case of landing of processed products, the use of the ICCAT conversion factors to calculate the equivalent round weight of the processed bluefin tuna;

(12)

that the bluefin tuna offered for retail sale to the final consumer, from fishing vessels and/or traps in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, is correctly marked or labelled;

(13)

that the bluefin tuna landed by the bait boats, long liners, hand liners or trolling boats in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean is correctly tail tagged where applicable.

(1)

that the fishing vessels are authorised to operate (markings, identity, licence, fishing authorisation and ICCAT lists);

(2)

that the pre-notification of arrival in port was sent and contained the correct information concerning the transhipment;

(3)

that transhipping fishing vessels wishing to tranship have received prior authorisation from their flag State;

(4)

that the quantities pre-notified to be transhipped are verified;

(5)

that a transhipment declaration has been transmitted to the Port State States no later than 48 hours after the date of transhipment in port;

(6)

that the relevant documentation is on board is present and duly completed, including the transhipment declaration, the relevant and ICCAT bluefin tuna catch document and re-export certificate;

(7)

in the case of processed products, the use of the ICCAT conversion factors to calculate the equivalent round weight of the processed bluefin tuna.

(1)

that the relevant documentation is present and duly completed and reported (bluefin tuna catch document and re-export certificate, transfer and caging declarations, transhipment declaration);

(2)

that the caging operation has been previously authorised by the catching vessel flag State authorities;

(3)

that an ICCAT regional observer was present during all transfer, caging and harvesting of bluefin tuna, and has validated the caging declarations;

(4)

that all the transfer and caging activities in the farm have been monitored by video camera in the water, and that the video record is made available for the inspectors and complies with the video recording requirements as defined in Annex 9 to ICCAT Recommendation 12-03.

(5)

that all caging activities have been subject to a programme using stereoscopical cameras or techniques that provide the equivalent precision in order to refine the number and weight of fish being caged;

(6)

that the farming State will not accept caging of bluefin tuna where the quantity by number and/or weight above that authorised to be caged by the flag State.

(1)

as regards transport, in particular the relevant accompanying documents and check them against the physical quantities transported;

(2)

as regards marketing, that the relevant documentation is present and duly completed, including the relevant bluefin tuna catch document and re-export certificate.

(1)

(2)

(a)

Quantity (biomass estimation) and precise number of specimens;

(b)

Verification that the quantities caught respect the quota allocation;

(c)

Verification of minimum size requirements, with a tolerance of % in numbers.

(a)

Prior authorisation for transfers into towing cage and farming cage;

(b)

Accurate quantity (in weight) and number of fish transferred into towing cage;

(c)

Mortality during towing operation and destination of dead fish.

(a)

Confirmation of legitimacy of catch as well as pre-authorisation by flag Member State;

(b)

Accurate quantity (in weight) and number of fish transferred into fattening cages;

(c)

The use of Sampling/tagging programme to estimate weight gain.

(a)

Accurate quantity (in weight) and number of fish harvested;

(b)

Coverage by ICCAT Regional Observer Programme;

(c)

Accurate quantity by product type (clearly indicating the conversion factors).