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

2.   Each Member State shall inform the Commission in computer readable form, at least 15 days before the new vessel enters the NAFO Regulatory Area, of any amendment to its list of vessels flying its flag and registered in the Community that are authorised to fish in the NAFO Regulatory Area. The Commission shall forward this information promptly to the NAFO Secretariat.

3.   The information referred to in paragraph 2 shall include the following:

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

1.   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 groundfish species referred to in Annex VII except for fishing for Sebastes mentella as referred to in paragraph 3. That 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) that 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.

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

3.   Vessels fishing for pelagic Sebastes mentella (Oceanic redfish) in Sub-Area 2 and Division 1F and 3K shall use nets with a minimum mesh size of 100 mm.

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 VIII.

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 as described in Annex IX.

1.   Fishing vessels shall limit their by-catch to a maximum of 2500 kg or 10 %, whichever is the greater, for each species listed in Annex IC for which no quota has been allocated in that Division to the Community.

2.   In cases where a ban on fishing is in force or an ‘Others’ quota has been fully utilised, the by-catch of the species concerned may not exceed 1 250 kg or 5 %, whichever is the greater.

3.   The percentages in paragraphs 1 and 2 calculated as the percentage, by weight, for each species of the total catch retained on board. Catches of shrimp shall not be included in the calculation of by-catch levels of ground fish species.

1.   If the percentages of by-catches in any one haul exceed the percentages laid down in Article 31(1) and (2) the vessel shall immediately move a minimum of 10 nautical miles from any position of the previous tow and throughout the next tow keep a minimum distance of 10 nautical miles from any position of the previous tow. If after moving, the next haul exceeds these by-catch limits the vessel shall leave the Division and not return for at least 60 hours.

2.   Should total by-catches of all ground fish species subject to quota in any haul in the shrimp fishery exceed 5 % by weight in Division 3M or 2,5 % by weight in Division 3L, the vessel shall move a minimum of 10 nautical miles from any position of the previous tow and throughout the next tow keep a minimum distance of 10 nautical miles from any position of the previous tow. If after moving, the next haul exceeds these by-catch limits the vessel shall leave the Division and not return for at least 60 hours.

3.   The percentage of by-catch authorised in any one haul shall becalculated as the percentage, by weight, for each species of the total catch in that haul.

1.   Masters of Community vessels shall not conduct directed fisheries for species for which by-catch limits apply. A directed fishery for a species shall be considered to have been conducted when that species comprises the largest percentage by weight of the total catch in any one haul.

2.   However, when a vessel is conducting a directed fishery for skate with a legal mesh size appropriate for that fishery, the first time that, in a haul, catches of species for which by-catch limits comprise the largest percentage, by weight of the total catch, they shall be considered as incidental. In this event the vessel shall immediately change position in accordance with Article 32(1) and (2).

3.   Following an absence from a Division of at least 60 hours in accordance with the provisions of Article 32(1) and (2), masters of Community vessels shall undertake a trial tow the duration of which shall not exceed 3 hours. By way of derogation from paragraph 1 of this Article, if in a haul from such a trial tow catches of species for which by-catch limits comprise the largest percentage, by weight of the total catch, it shall not be considered as a directed fishery. In this event the vessel shall immediately change position in accordance with Article 32(1) and (2).

1.   Fish from the NAFO Regulatory Area which do not have the size required as set out in Annex X 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.

2.   Where the quantity of caught fish not having the size required as set out in Annex X 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 X, shall be deemed to originate from fish that is below the minimum fish size.

1.   All processed fish harvested in the NAFO Regulatory Area shall be labelled in such a way that each species and product category as referred to in Article 1 of Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 of 17 December 1999 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products (36) and in case of shrimp the date of capture is identifiable. It shall also be marked as having been caught in the NAFO Regulatory Area.

2.   All shrimp harvested in Division 3L and 3M and all Greenland halibut harvested in Subarea 2 and Divisions 3KLMNO shall be marked as having been caught in these respective zones.

3.   Taking into account consideration for the legitimate safety and navigational responsibilities of the master of the vessel, the following shall apply:

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

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

3.   The masters of Community vessels shall, in respect of catches of the species listed in Annex IC, keep:

4.   The production logbook and stowage plan referred to in paragraph 3 shall be updated on a daily basis for the preceding day reckoned from 00.00 hrs (UTC) until 24.00 hrs (UTC) and shall be kept on board until the vessel has unloaded completely.

5.   The master of a Community vessel shall provide the necessary assistance to enable the quantities declared in the production logbook and the processed products stored on board to be verified.

6.   Every two years Member States shall certify the accuracy of the capacity plans for all Community vessels authorised to fish pursuant to Article 28(1). The master shall ensure that a copy of such certification remains onboard to be shown to an inspector upon request.

1.   When fishing directly for one or more of the species listed in Annex VII, Community vessels shall not carry nets with a mesh size smaller than that laid down in Article 29.

2.   However, Community vessels fishing in the course of the same voyage in areas other than the NAFO Regulatory Area may keep on board nets with a smaller mesh size than that laid down in Article 29 provided they are securely lashed and stowed and are not available for immediate use. Such nets must:

1.   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.

2.   Community vessels shall not engage in trans-shipment operations of fish from or to a non-contracting party vessel which has been sighted or otherwise identified as having engaged in fishing activities in the NAFO Regulatory Area.

3.   Community vessels shall report each trans-shipment in the NAFO Regulatory Area to their competent authorities. Donor vessels shall make that report at least twenty-four hours in advance and receiving vessels not later than one hour after the trans-shipment.

4.   The report referred to in paragraph 3 shall include the time, the geographical position, the total round weight by species to be off-loaded or on-loaded in kilograms as well as the call sign of vessels involved in the trans-shipment.

5.   The receiving vessel shall report, in addition to the total catch on board and the total weight to be landed, the name of the port and the expected time of landing at least 24 hours in advance of any landing.

6.   Member States shall promptly transmit the reports referred to in paragraph 3 and 5 to the Commission, which shall promptly forward them to the NAFO Secretariat.

1.   Member States may assent tot a fishing vessel flying their flag and authorised to fish in the NAFO Regulatory Area being subject to a chartering arrangement for the utilisation in part or in full of a quota and/or fishing days allocated to another Contracting Party of NAFO. Chartering arrangements involving vessels identified by NAFO or any other Regional fisheries Organisation as having been involved in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities shall, however, not be permitted.

2.   On the date of the conclusion of a chartering arrangement, the flag Member State shall send the following information to the Commission, which shall forward this information to the Executive Secretary of NAFO:

3.   When the charter arrangement ends, the flag Member State shall inform the Commission, which shall promptly forward this information to the Executive Secretary of NAFO.

4.   The flag Member State shall act to ensure that:

5.   Member States shall report all catches and by-catches as referred to in paragraph 4(d) to the Commission separately from other national catch data. The Commission shall promptly forward those data to the Executive Secretary of NAFO.

1.   Each Member State shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the fishing effort of its vessels is commensurate with the fishing opportunities 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 2007 or, thereafter, at least 30 days before the commencement of such activity. The fishing plan shall identify, inter alia, the vessel or vessels that will engage in these fisheries and the intended number of fishing days those vessels will spend in the NAFO Regulatory Area.

3.   Member States shall, on an indicative basis, inform the Commission of the intended activities of their vessels in other areas.

4.   The fishing plan shall represent the total fishing effort to be deployed in the NAFO Regulatory Area in relation to the fishing opportunities available to the Member State making the notification.

5.   No later than 15 January 2008, Member States shall report to the Commission on the implementation of their fishing plans. Those reports shall include the number of vessels actually engaged in fishing activities in the NAFO Regulatory Area, the catches of each vessel and the total number of days each vessel fished in that Area. Activities of vessels fishing for shrimp in Divisions 3M and 3L shall be reported separately for each Division.

1.   Each Member State shall report to the Commission daily on 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 at depths greater than 200 metres and shall be limited to one vessel per each Member State allocation at any one time.

2.   Masters of vessels fishing for shrimp in Division 3L or their representatives shall, before entry into any port, provide the competent authorities of the Member States whose ports they wish to use with the following information at least 24 hours before the estimated time of arrival at port:

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

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

1.   The competent authorities of a Member State notified of an infringement committed by one of its vessels shall investigate that infringement immediately and fully to obtain the evidence required which shall include, where appropriate, the physical inspection of the vessel concerned.

2.   The competent authorities of the Member State shall take immediate judicial or administrative action in accordance with their national legislation against the nationals responsible for the vessel flying its flag where the measures adopted by NAFO have not been respected.

3.   The competent authorities of the flag Member State shall ensure that the proceedings initiated pursuant to paragraph 2 are capable, in accordance with the relevant provisions of national law, of providing effective measures that are adequate in severity, secure compliance, deprive those responsible of the economic benefit of the infringement and effectively discourage future infringements.

1.   Inspection and surveillance reports drawn up by NAFO inspectors shall constitute admissible evidence for judicial or administrative proceedings of any Member States. For establishing facts, those reports shall be treated on the same basis as inspection and surveillance reports of their own inspectors.

2.   Member States shall collaborate in order to facilitate judicial or other proceedings arising from a report submitted by an inspector under this scheme, subject to the rules governing the admissibility of evidence in domestic judicial and other systems.

1.   In addition to the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1956/88 of 9 June 1988 adopting provisions for the application of the scheme of joint international inspection adopted by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (37), in particular paragraphs 9 and 10 of the Scheme attached thereto, the flag Member State shall take action under this Section where a vessel flying its flag has committed one of the following serious infringements:

2.   The flag Member State shall ensure that following the inspection referred to in paragraph 3 the vessel concerned ceases all fishing activities and an investigation into the serious infringement is initiated.

3.   If no inspector or other person designated by the flag Member State of the vessel to carry out the investigation as outlined in paragraph 1 is present in the Regulatory area the flag Member State shall require the vessel to proceed immediately to a port where the investigation can be initiated.

4.   When completing the investigation for any serious infringement of mis-recording of catch referred to in paragraph 1(b) the flag Member State shall ensure that the physical inspection and enumeration of total catch on board takes place under its authority in port. Such inspection may take place in the presence of an inspector from any another Contracting Party that wishes to participate, subject to the consent of the flag Member State.

5.   When a vessel is required to proceed to port pursuant to paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, an inspector from another Contracting Party may board and/or remain on board the vessel as it is proceeding to port, provided that the competent authority of the Member State of the inspected vessel does not require the inspector to leave the vessel.

1.   Each flag Member State shall take enforcement measures with respect to a vessel, where it has been established, in accordance with its laws that this fishing vessel flying its flag committed a serious infringement to in Article 46.

2.   The measures referred to in paragraph 1 may include, in particular depending on the gravity of the offence and in accordance with the pertinent provisions of national law:

3.   The flag Member State of the vessel concerned shall notify to the Commission without delay, the appropriate measures taken in accordance with this Article. Based on this notification, the Commission shall notify to the NAFO Secretariat of that measures.

1.   In case of a serious infringement referred to in Article 46, the Member State concerned shall provide the Commission with a report on the progress of the investigation, including details of any action taken or proposed to be taken in relation to the serious infringement as soon as practicable and in any case within three months following the notification of the infringement and a report on the outcome of the investigation when the investigation is completed.

2.   The Commission shall compile a Community report on the basis of the reports of the Member States. It shall send the Community report on the progress of the investigation to the NAFO Secretariat within four months following the notification of the infringement and as soon as possible the report on the outcome of the investigation when the investigation is completed.

1.   Direct fishing of the species set out in Annex XIII shall be prohibited in the zones and during the periods set out in that Annex.

2.   For new and exploratory fisheries, the catch and by-catch limits set out in Annex XIV shall apply in the Subareas set out in that Annex.

1.   As from 1 August 2007, Member States shall communicate to the Commission, in addition to the information requirements relating to authorised vessels set forth in Article 3(2) of Regulation (EC) No 601/2004, the following in respect of such vessels:

2.   As from 1 August 2007, Member States shall, to the extent practicable, also communicate to the Commission the following information relating to vessels authorised to fish in the Area of CCAMLR:

1.   Should the master of a licensed fishing vessel sight a fishing vessel within the Area of CCAMLR, he shall, where possible, document as much information as possible on each such sighting, including:

2.   The master shall forward a report containing the information referred to in paragraph 1 to his flag State as soon as possible. The flag State shall submit to the CCAMLR Secretariat any such reports if the sighted vessel is engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) activities according to CCAMLR standards.

1.   Fishing vessels flying the flag of, and registered in, Spain that have been notified to CCAMLR in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 601/2004 may participate in long-line exploratory fisheries for Dissostichus spp. in Subareas FAO 88.1 and 88.2 as well as in Divisions 58.4.1, 58.4.2, 58.4.3a) outside Areas of national jurisdiction and 58.4.3b) outside Areas of national jurisdiction.

2.   No more than one fishing vessel per Member State shall fish in Divisions 58.4.3a) and 58.4.3b) at any one time.

3.   With regard to Subareas 88.1 and 88.2 as well as Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2, total catch and by-catch limits per Subarea and Division, and their distribution among Small Scale Research Units (SSRUs) within each of them shall be as set out in Annex XIV. Fishing in any SSRU shall cease when the reported catch reaches the specified catch limit, and that SSRU shall be closed to fishing for the remainder of the season.

4.   Fishing shall take place over as large a geographical and bathymetric range as possible to obtain the information necessary to determine fishery potential and to avoid over-concentration of catch and fishing effort. However, fishing in Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2 shall be prohibited in depths less than 550 m.

1.   The exploratory fisheries as referred to in Article 58 shall be carried out in accordance with Article 8 of Council Regulation (EC) No 600/2004 of 22 March 2004 laying down certain technical measures applicable to fishing activities in the area covered by the Convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (40) with regard to applicable measures to reduce the incidental mortality of seabirds in the course of long-line fisheries. In addition to these measures:

2.   Fishing vessels participating in exploratory fisheries in FAO Subareas 88.1 and 88.2 shall be subject to the following additional requirements:

1.   For the purposes of this Section, a haul shall comprise the setting of one or more lines in a single location. The precise geographic position of a haul shall be determined by the centre-point of the line or lines deployed for the purposes of catch and effort reporting.

2.   To be designated as a research haul:

1.   Fishing vessels participating in the exploratory fisheries referred to in Article 58 shall implement data collection plans, in each and all SSRUs in which FAO Subareas 88.1 and 88.2 as well as Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2 are divided. The Data Collection Plan shall comprise the following data:

2.   All data referred to under paragraph 1 shall be collected for every research haul; in particular, all fish in a research haul up to 100 fish are to be measured and at least 30 fish sampled for biological studies. Where more than 100 fish are caught, a method for randomly subsampling the fish shall be applied.

1.   Each fishing vessel participating in the exploratory fisheries as referred to in Article 58 shall implement a tagging programme as follows:

2.   Toothfish that are tagged and released shall not be counted against the catch limits.

1.   Each fishing vessel participating in the exploratory fisheries referred to in Article 58 shall have at least two scientific observers, one of which shall be an observer appointed in accordance with the CCAMLR Scheme of International Scientific Observation, on board throughout all fishing activities within the fishing period.

2.   Each Member State, subject to and in accordance with their applicable laws and regulations, including rules governing the admissibility of evidence in domestic courts, shall consider and act on reports from inspectors of a designating CCAMLR Member under this scheme on the same basis as reports from its own inspectors and both the Contracting Party and the designating CCAMLR Member concerned shall cooperate in order to facilitate judicial or other proceedings arising from any such report.

1.   The use of gillnets in the Area of CCAMLR, for purposes other than scientific research, shall be prohibited until the Scientific Committee has investigated and reported on the potential impacts of this gear and the Commission has agreed on the basis of advice from the Scientific Committee that such a method may be used in the Area of CCAMLR.

2.   The use of gillnets for scientific research in waters deeper than 100 meters shall be notified in advance to the Scientific Committee and be approved by the Commission before such research can commence.

3.   Any vessel seeking to transit the Area of CCALMR carrying gillnets shall give advance notice of its intent, including the expected dates of its passage through the Area of CCAMLR to the CCAMLR Secretariat. Any vessel in possession of gillnets within the Area of CCAMLR which has not given such an advance notice, shall be in breach of these provisions.

1.   The use of bottom trawling gear in the high-seas areas of the Area of CCAMLR shall be restricted to areas for which the Commission has conservation measures in force for bottom trawling gear.

2.   This restrictive measure shall not apply to the use of bottom trawling gear in conducting scientific research in the Area of CCAMLR.

1.   Member States shall submit electronically, where possible, to the Commission by 1 June 2007, the list of their vessels that are authorised to operate in the SEAFO Convention Area by issue of a fishing permit.

2.   Owners of the vessels included in the list referred to in paragraph 1 shall be citizens or legal entities of the Community.

3.   Fishing vessels may be authorised to operate in the SEAFO Convention Area only if they are able to fulfil the requirements and responsibilities under the SEAFO Convention and its conservation and management measures.

4.   No fishing permit shall be issued to vessels that have a history of IUU fishing activities unless the new owners have provided sufficient evidence demonstrating that the previous owners and operators have no legal, beneficial or financial interest in, or control over those vessels, or that, having taken into account all relevant facts, their vessels are not engaged in or associated with IUU fishing.

1.   The list referred to in paragraph 1 shall include the following information:

6.   Member States shall promptly notify the Commission, after the establishment of the initial list of authorised vessels, of any addition to, deletion from and/or any modification whenever such changes occur.

1.   Vessels shall comply with all the relevant SEAFO conservation and management measures.

2.   Authorised vessels shall keep on board valid certificates of vessel registration and valid authorisation to fish and/or tranship.

1.   Member States shall take measures to prohibit the fishing for, the retaining on board, the transhipment and landing of species covered by the SEAFO Convention by vessels which are not entered on the SEAFO list of authorised vessels.

2.   Member States shall notify the Commission of any factual information showing that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that vessels not on the SEAFO list of authorised vessels are engaged in fishing for and/or transhipment of species covered by the SEAFO Convention in the SEAFO Convention Area.

3.   Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the owners of vessels included in the SEAFO list of authorised vessels are not engaged in or associated with, fishing activities conducted by vessels not entered on the SEAFO list of authorised vessels in the SEAFO Convention Area.

1.   Community fishing vessels which catch species covered by the SEAFO Convention in the SEAFO Convention Area shall tranship in the port of a SEAFO Contracting Party only if they have prior authorisation from the Contracting Party in whose port the operation will take place. Community fishing vessels shall be permitted to carry out transhipments only if they have obtained such a prior authorisation to tranship from the flag Member State and the port State.

2.   Each Member State shall ensure that its authorised fishing vessels obtain a prior authorisation to engage in in-port transhipments. Member States shall also ensure that the transhipments are consistent with the reported catch amount of each vessel and require the reporting of transhipments.

3.   The master of a Community fishing vessel who transships to another vessel, hereinafter referred to as ‘the receiving vessel’, any quantity of catches of species covered by the SEAFO Convention fished in the SEAFO Convention Area shall at the time of the transshipment inform the flag State of the receiving vessel of the species and quantities involved, of the date of the transshipment and the location of catches and shall submit to his flag Member State a SEAFO transshipment declaration in accordance with the format set out in Part I of Annex XVI.

4.   The master of the Community fishing vessel shall notify, at least 24 hours in advance, the following information to the SEAFO Contracting Party in whose port the transshipment will take place:

5.   Not later than 24 hours before the beginning, and at the end of a transshipment when this takes place in a port of a SEAFO Contracting Party, the master of the Community flagged receiving vessel shall inform the competent authorities of the port State of the quantities of catches of species covered by the SEAFO Convention on board his vessel and transmit the SEAFO transshipment declaration to these competent authorities within 24 hours.

6.   The master of the Community flagged receiving vessel shall, 48 hours before landing, submit a SEAFO transshipment declaration to the competent authorities of the port State where the landing takes place.

7.   Each Member State shall take the appropriate measures to verify the accuracy of the information received and shall cooperate with the flag State to ensure that landings are consistent with the reported catches amount of each vessel.

8.   Each Member State with vessels authorized to fish in the SEAFO Convention Area for species covered by the SEAFO Convention, shall notify to by 1 June 2007 to the Commission the details of the transshipments by its flag vessels.

1.   All Community vessels fishing south of the parallel of latitude 30 degrees South shall carry and use bird-scaring lines (tori poles):

2.   Longlines shall be set at night only (i.e. during the hours of darkness between the times of nautical twilight (41). During longline fishing at night, only the minimum ship's lights necessary for safety shall be used.

3.   The dumping of offal shall be prohibited while gear is being shot or set. The dumping of offal during the hauling of gear shall be avoided. Any such discharge shall take place, where possible, on the opposite side of the vessel to that where the gear is being hauled. For vessels or fisheries where there is no requirement to retain offal on board the vessel, a system shall be implemented to remove fish hooks from offal and fish heads prior to discharge. Nets shall be cleaned prior to shooting to remove items that might attract seabirds.

4.   Community fishing vessels shall adopt shooting and hauling procedures that minimise the time during which the net is lying on the surface with the meshes slack. Net maintenance shall, to the extent possible, not be carried out with the net in the water.

5.   Community fishing vessels shall be encouraged to develop gear configurations that will minimise the likelihood of birds encountering the part of the net to which they are most vulnerable. This may include increasing the weighting or decreasing the buoyancy of the net so that it sinks faster, or placing coloured streamer or other devices over particular areas of the net where the mesh sizes create a particular danger to birds.

6.   Community fishing vessels which are so configured that they lack on-board processing facilities or adequate capacity to retain offal on board, or the ability to discharge offal on the opposite side of the vessel to that where gear is being hauled, shall not be authorised to fish in the SEAFO Convention Area.

7.   Every effort shall be made to ensure that birds captured alive during fishing operations are released alive and that whenever possible hooks are removed without jeopardising the life of the bird concerned.

1.   Fishing vessels and fishing research vessels authorised to fish in the SEAFO Convention Area and which are engaged in fishing shall send entry, catch and exit reports to the flag Member State's authorities by VMS, or other appropriate means, and, if the flag Member State so requires, to the SEAFO Executive Secretary.

2.   The entry report shall be made no more than 12 hours and at least 6 hours in advance of each entry into the SEAFO Convention Area and shall include entering date, time, geographical position of the vessel and the quantity of fish on board by species (FAO 3 Alfa Code) and by live weight (kg).

3.   The Catch report shall be made by species (FAO 3 Alfa Code) and by live weight (kg) at the end of each calendar month.

4.   The exit report shall be made no more than 12 hours and at least 6 hours in advance of each exit from the SEAFO Convention Area. It shall include exiting date, time, geographical position of the vessel, the number of fishing days and the catch taken by species (FAD 3 Alfa Code) and by live weight (kg) in the SEAFO Convention Area since the commencement of fishing in the SEAFO Convention Area, or since the last catch report.

1.   Each Member State shall ensure that all its fishing vessels operating in the SEAFO Convention Area, and targeting species covered by the SEAFO Convention, carry qualified scientific observers.

2.   Each Member State shall require the submission of the information collected by the observers, in respect of each vessel flying its flag, within 30 days of leaving the SEAFO Convention Area. The data shall be submitted in the format specified by the SEAFO Scientific Committee. The Member State shall provide the Commission with a copy of the information as soon as possible, taking account of the need to maintain confidentiality of non-aggregated data. The Member State may also provide the SEAFO Executive Secretary with a copy of the information.

3.   The information referred to in this Article shall, to the greatest extent possible, be collected and verified by designated observers by 30 June 2007.

1.   Fishing vessels flying the flag of a Member State shall report to their flag Member State information on any possible fishing activity by vessels flying the flag of a non-Contracting Party in the SEAFO Convention Area. This information shall contain, inter alia:

2.   Each Member State shall submit the information referred to in paragraph 1 to the Commission as rapidly as possible. The Commission shall forward this information to the SEAFO Executive Secretary for information.