Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2017 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007
Modified by
- Regulation (EU) 2019/1154 of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 20 June 2019on a multiannual recovery plan for Mediterranean swordfish and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 and Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council, 32019R1154, July 12, 2019
- Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 of the European Parliament and of the Councilof 13 September 2023establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, amending Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EU) 2017/2107, and (EU) 2019/833 and repealing Regulation (EU) 2016/1627, 32023R2053, September 27, 2023
(a) Union fishing vessels, and Union vessels engaged in recreational fisheries, which operate in the ICCAT Convention area and, in the case of transhipments, also outside the ICCAT Convention area if they tranship species caught in that area; (b) third country vessels which are inspected in Member States ports and which carry ICCAT species or fishery products originating from such species that have not been previously landed or transhipped at ports; (c) third country fishing vessels and third country vessels engaged in recreational fisheries which operate in Union waters.
(1) "ICCAT species" means species listed in Annex I; (2) "tropical tuna" means bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna and skipjack tuna; (3) "fishing vessel" means any vessel equipped for commercial exploitation of marine biological resources or a bluefin tuna trap; (4) "catching vessel" means a fishing vessel used for the purpose of the capture of marine biological resources; (5) "Union fishing vessel" means a fishing vessel flying the flag of a Member State and registered in the Union; (6) "fishing authorisation" means an authorisation issued in respect of a Union fishing vessel entitling it to carry out specific fishing activities during a specified period, in a given area or for a given fishery under specific conditions; (7) "special fishing authorisation" means an authorisation issued in respect of a Union fishing vessel entitling it to carry out specific fishing activities with specific gear during a specified period, in a given area or for a given fishery under specific conditions; (8) "transhipment" means the unloading of all or any fisheries products on board a vessel to another vessel; (9) "recreational fishery" means non-commercial fishing activities exploiting marine biological resources for recreation, tourism or sport; (10) "Task I data" means data defined as Task I by ICCAT in the "Field manual for statistics and sampling Atlantic tunas and tuna-like fish"; (11) "Task II data" means data defined as Task II by ICCAT in the "Field manual for statistics and sampling Atlantic tunas and tuna-like fish"; (12) "CPC" means contracting parties to the ICCAT Convention and cooperating non-contracting parties, entities or fishing entities; (13) "ICCAT Convention area" means all waters of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas; (14) "sustainable fisheries partnership agreement" means an international agreement as defined in point 37 of Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013; (15) "vessel length" means the distance measured in a straight line between the foremost point of the bow and the aftermost point of the stern; (16) "large-scale pelagic longline vessel" means a pelagic longline vessel greater than 24 metres in length overall; (17) "large-scale fishing vessel" means a fishing vessel greater than 20 metres in length overall; (18) "large-scale catching vessel" means a catching vessel greater than 20 metres in length overall; (19) "ICCAT record of large-scale fishing vessels" means the list, maintained by the ICCAT Secretariat, of large-scale fishing vessels authorised to target ICCAT species in the ICCAT Convention area; (20) "support vessel" means a vessel other than a craft carried on board that is not equipped with an operational fishing gear and that facilitates, assists or prepares fishing activities, including by supplying a catching vessel; (21) "carrier vessel" means a support vessel engaged in transhipment and receiving ICCAT species from a large-scale pelagic longline vessel; (22) "ICCAT record of carrier vessels" means the list, maintained by the ICCAT Secretariat, of vessels authorised to receive transhipment at sea from large-scale pelagic longline vessels in the ICCAT Convention area; (23) "ICCAT record of authorised tropical tunas vessels" means the list, maintained by the ICCAT Secretariat, of large-scale fishing vessels authorised to fish, retain on board, tranship, transport, process or land tropical tunas in the ICCAT Convention area; (24) "fish-aggregating device" (FAD) means any equipment which is floating on the sea surface and is deployed with the objective of attracting fish; (25) "IUU fishing" means fishing activities defined in point 1 of Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008; (26) "ICCAT IUU list" means a list of vessels which are considered by ICCAT to have engaged in IUU fishing; (27) "longlines" means a fishing gear which comprises a main line carrying numerous hooks on branch lines (snoods) of variable length and spacing depending on the target species; (28) "purse seines" means any encircling net the bottom of which is drawn together by means of a purse line at the bottom of the net, which passes through a series of rings along the groundrope, enabling the net to be pursed and closed; (29) "hook" means a bent, sharpened piece of steel wire.
(a) as the average number and the capacity in GT of Union catching vessels targeting bigeye tuna in the ICCAT Convention area during the period 1991 to 1992; and (b) on the basis of the restriction on the number of Union catching vessels targeting bigeye tuna in 2005 as notified to ICCAT on 30 June 2005 .
(a) improve the knowledge about FAD characteristics, buoy characteristics, FAD fishing, including fishing effort, and related impacts on targeted and non-targeted species; (b) effectively manage the deployment and recovery of FADs and beacons and their potential loss; (c) reduce and limit the impacts of FADs and FAD fishing on the ecosystem, including, where appropriate, by acting on the different components of the fishing mortality (e.g. number of deployed FADs, including number of FAD sets by purse seiners, fishing capacity, number of support vessels).
(a) the surface structure of the FAD shall be either not covered by any material or covered only with material implying minimum risk of entangling non-targeted species; and (b) the sub-surface components shall be exclusively composed of material which does not entangle non-targeted species.
(a) position of the FAD; (b) date of deployment of the FAD; (c) FAD type (anchored FAD, drifting artificial FAD); (d) FAD identifier (i.e. FAD marking or beacon ID, type of buoy — e.g. simple buoy or associated with echo sounder), or any information allowing identification of the owner; (e) FAD design characteristics (dimension and material of the floating part and of the underwater hanging structure, and the entangling feature of the underwater hanging structure).
(a) type of visit (hauling, retrieving, intervention on electronic equipment); (b) position of the FAD; (c) date of visit; (d) FAD type (anchored FAD, drifting natural FAD, drifting artificial FAD); (e) FAD identifier (i.e. FAD marking or beacon ID) or any information allowing identification of the owner; (f) if the visit is followed by a set, the results of the set in terms of catch and by-catch, whether retained or discarded, dead or alive, or, if the visit is not followed by a set, the reason for such decision (for instance not enough fish or fish too small).
(a) the last registered position; (b) date of the last registered position; (c) FAD identifier (i.e. FAD marking or beacon ID), or any information allowing identification of the owner.
(a) the number of FADs actually deployed, on a quarterly basis, by FAD type, indicating the presence or absence of a beacon/buoy or of an echo sounder associated to the FAD; (b) the number and type of beacons/buoys (e.g. radio, with echo sounder) actually deployed, on a quarterly basis; (c) the average numbers of active beacons/buoys, on a quarterly basis, that have been followed by each vessel; (d) average numbers of active FADs lost, on a quarterly basis; (e) for each support vessel, the number of days spent at sea, per 1° grid area, month and flag Member State.
(a) paper and electronic fishing logbooks, as well as FAD logbooks, where applicable, are promptly collected and made available to Union scientists; (b) the Task II data transmitted to the Commission pursuant to Article 50 include the information collected from the fishing or FAD logbooks, where applicable.
(a) from 1 January to 28 February each year; and (b) in the area delineated as follows: Northern limit — Parallel 5° North latitude, Southern limit — Parallel 4° South latitude, Western limit — Meridian 20° West longitude, Eastern limit — the African coast.
(a) launching any floating objects, with or without buoys; (b) fishing around, under, or in association with artificial objects, including vessels; (c) fishing around, under, or in association with natural objects; (d) towing floating objects from inside to outside the area.
(a) take appropriate action to ensure that all vessels flying its flag, including support vessels, when engaged in fishing activities during the time and area closure referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article, have an observer on board. The observer programme shall comply with Annex IV to this Regulation, without prejudice to Article 73 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009; (b) submit the information collected by the observers referred to in point (a) every year by 30 June to the Commission who shall notify ICCAT by 31 July; (c) take appropriate action against fishing vessels flying its flag that do not comply with the time and area closure referred to in paragraph 1; (d) submit a report on the compliance with the time and area closure to the Commission as part of its annual report referred to in Article 71.
(a) a list of catching vessels flying their flag authorised to target Mediterranean swordfish; (b) a list of vessels authorised by them to target Mediterranean swordfish in the course of recreational fisheries.
(a) information on the catching vessel: (i) name of the vessel (in the absence of the name, the registry number without country initials shall be indicated); (ii) Union fleet register number as defined in Annex I to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/218 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/218 of 6 February 2017 on the Union fishing fleet register (OJ L 34, 9.2.2017, p. 9 ).(iii) ICCAT record number;
(b) information related to fishing activities, based on sampling or on the whole fleet: (i) fishing period(s) and total annual number of fishing days of the vessel, by target species and area; (ii) geographical areas, by ICCAT statistical rectangles, for the fishing activities carried out by the vessel, by target species and area; (iii) type of vessel, by target species and area; (iv) number of hooks used by the vessel, by target species and area; (v) number of longline units used by the vessel, by target species and area; (vi) overall length of all longline units for the vessel, by target species and area;
(c) data on the catches, in the smallest time-area possible: (i) size and, if possible, age distributions of the catches; (ii) catches and catch composition per vessel; (iii) fishing effort (average fishing days per vessel, average number of hooks per vessel, average longline units per vessel, average overall length of longline per vessel).
(a) the biological samples are collected only from animals which are dead at the haul back; (b) the biological samples are taken in the framework of a research project notified to the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics of the ICCAT and developed taking into consideration the recommended research priorities of that Committee. The research project should include a detailed document that describes the objective of the project, the methodologies to be used, the number and type of samples to be collected and the time and area of sampling; (c) the biological samples are kept on board until the port of landing or transhipment; and (d) the authorisation of the flag Member State or, in the case of chartered vessels, of the chartering CPC and the flag Member State, must accompany all samples collected in accordance with this Article until the final port of landing. Such samples and other parts of the shark specimens sampled shall not be marketed or sold.
(a) longlines are set during the night, with night being defined as the period between nautical dusk/dawn as referenced in the nautical dusk/dawn almanac for the geographical position of fishing; and (b) minimum swivel weight of 60 g placed not more than 3 metres from the hook is used to achieve optimum sink rates.
(a) night setting with minimum deck lighting; (b) bird-scaring lines (tori lines); (c) line weighting.
(a) catch rates, gear characteristics, times and locations, target species and disposition status (i.e. discarded dead or released alive); (b) a breakdown of interactions by sea turtle species; and (c) the nature of the hooking or entanglement (including with FADs), bait type, hook size and type, and the size of the animal.
(a) the chartered vessels shall have a fishing authorisation issued by the chartering CPC and shall not be on the ICCAT IUU list; (b) the chartered vessels shall not be authorised to fish under more than one chartering arrangement at the same time; (c) the catches of the chartered vessels shall be unloaded exclusively in the ports of the chartering CPCs, unless otherwise provided for in the chartering arrangement; and (d) the chartering company shall be legally established in the chartering CPC.
(a) information on the characteristics of their fleet for the previous year; (b) estimates of the annual nominal catch data (including by-catch and discards data) concerning ICCAT species for the previous year.
(a) catch and fishing effort data for the previous year, giving a detailed spatio-temporal breakdown; those data shall include estimates of discards and releases with the indication of the status of the fish (dead or alive); (b) any data they have on catches in recreational fisheries for the previous year.
(a) transhipment operations carried out within the ICCAT Convention area in respect of ICCAT species and other species caught in association with those species; and (b) transhipment operations carried out outside the ICCAT Convention area in respect of ICCAT species and other species caught in association with those species, that were harvested in the ICCAT Convention area.
name of vessel, register number, ICCAT record number (if any), IMO number (if any), previous name (if any), previous flag (if any), previous details of deletion from other registries (if any), international radio call sign, type of vessel, length, gross registered tonnage and carrying capacity, name and address of owner(s) and operator(s), time period authorised for transhipping.
name of vessel, register number, ICCAT record number, time period authorised for transhipping at sea, flag(s), name(s) and register number(s) of the carrier vessel(s) authorised for use by the large-scale pelagic longline vessel(s).
(a) the name of the large-scale pelagic longline vessel and its number in the ICCAT record of large-scale pelagic longline vessels authorised to tranship at sea; (b) the name of the carrier vessel and its number in the ICCAT record of carrier vessels; (c) the product to be transhipped, by species, where known, and, if possible, by stock; (d) the quantities of ICCAT species, if possible, by stock, to be transhipped; (e) the quantities of other species caught in association with ICCAT species by species, if known, to be transhipped; (f) the date and location of transhipment; (g) the geographic location of the catches by species and, where appropriate, by stock, consistent with ICCAT statistical areas.
(a) the quantities of catches of ICCAT species, by species and, if possible, by stock, transhipped during the previous year; (b) the quantities of other species caught in association with ICCAT species by species, if known, transhipped during the previous year; (c) the list of the large-scale pelagic longline vessels which have transhipped during the previous year; (d) a comprehensive report assessing the content and conclusions of the reports of the ICCAT regional observers assigned to carrier vessels which have received transhipment from large-scale pelagic longline vessels.
(a) a minimum of 5 % observer coverage of fishing effort in each of the pelagic longline, purse seine and baitboat fisheries; (b) for chartered vessels, by way of derogation from point (a), a minimum of 10 % observer coverage of fishing effort in each of the pelagic longline, purse seine and baitboat fisheries; (c) a representative temporal and spatial coverage of the operation of the fleet to ensure the collection of adequate and appropriate data, taking into account characteristics of the fleets and fisheries; (d) data collection on all aspects of the fishing operation, including catch, as specified in Article 63(1).
(a) in number of sets or trips for purse seine fisheries; (b) in fishing days, number of sets or trips for pelagic longline fisheries; or (c) in fishing days for baitboat fisheries.
(a) sufficient knowledge and experience to identify species and collect information on different fishing gear configurations; (b) satisfactory knowledge of the ICCAT conservation and management measures; (c) ability to observe and record accurately data to be collected under the programme; (d) ability to collect biological samples; (e) not be a crew member of the fishing vessel being observed; and (f) not be an employee of a fishing vessel company involved in the fishery being observed.
(a) record and report information on the fishing activity, which shall include at least the following: (i) data concerning total target catch, by-catch and discards (including sharks, sea turtles, marine mammals and seabirds), size composition, disposition status (i.e. retained, discarded dead, released alive), and biological samples for life history studies (e.g. gonads, otoliths, spines, scales); (ii) fishing operation information, including area of catch by latitude and longitude, fishing effort information (e.g. number of sets, number of hooks, etc.), date of each fishing operation, including, as appropriate, the start and stop times of the fishing activity;
(b) observe and record the use of by-catch mitigation measures and other relevant information; (c) submit any proposals they consider appropriate to improve the efficiency of conservation measures and scientific monitoring.
(a) designate their ports to which third country fishing vessels may request entry pursuant to Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008; (b) designate a point of contact for the purposes of receiving prior notice pursuant to Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008; (c) designate a point of contact for the purposes of transmitting port inspection reports pursuant to Article 66 of this Regulation.
(a) Annexes II to VIII; (b) the time limits laid down in Article 7(1), Article 8, Articles 9(1) and 10(2), Article 14(1) and (3), Article 18, Article 20(2), (3) and (4), Article 22(2), Article 23(1) and (2), Article 26(1) and (3), Articles 40(1), 42(1), 44(3) and 47(2), Article 48(1) and (2), Article 50(1) and (2), Article 56(3), Article 57(1), (2) and (3), Article 59(1) and (2), Article 64, Article 65(2), Article 66(1) and (2), Article 67(1) and (2), Article 69(2), Article 70(2), (3) and (5), and Article 71(1); (c) the area laid down in point (b) of Article 14(1); (d) the minimum sizes laid down in Article 19(1) and (2), Article 24(2) and Article 29(2) and (3); (e) the tolerances laid down in Article 19(2) and (3), Article 21 and Article 24(3); (f) the technical specifications of hooks and longlines laid down in Article 25 and point (b) of Article 38(5); (g) the scientific observer coverage laid down in Article 29(1), and points (a) and (b) of Article 61(1); (h) the type of information and data laid down in Article 11(1), (2) and (3), Article 12, Articles 20(2), 26(1) and 42(1), Article 50(1) and (2), and Articles 54(4), 55(4), 56(3) and 59(1); (i) the maximum number of instrumental buoys laid down in Article 9(4).
(a) in Article 3, the following points are added: "(g) large-scale fishing vessel fishing vessel 20 metres in length overall or greater; (h) large-scale pelagic longline vessel pelagic longline vessel 24 metres in length overall or greater."; (b) in Article 4(2), the following point is added: "(c) if the fishing has been carried out by a large-scale fishing vessel, be accepted only when that vessel is on the ICCAT record of vessels."; (c) in Article 5(2), the following point is added: "(c) if the fishing has been carried out by a large-scale fishing vessel, be validated only when that vessel is on the ICCAT record of vessels."; (d) in Chapter 2, the following Section is added: "Section 4 Requirements for Member States in respect of transhipped products in the ICCAT Convention area Article 7a Statistical documents and reporting 1. When validating statistical documents, the flag Member State of large-scale pelagic longline vessels shall ensure that transhipments are consistent with the reported catch amount by each such vessel. 2. The flag Member State of large-scale pelagic longline vessels shall validate statistical documents for the transhipped fish, after confirming that the transhipment was conducted in accordance with Articles 51 to 58 of Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2017 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007 (OJ L 315, 30.11.2017, p. 1 ).".3. Member States shall require that the species covered by the statistical document programs caught by large-scale pelagic longline vessels in the ICCAT Convention area, when imported into their area or territory, are accompanied by statistical documents validated for the vessels on the ICCAT list of large-scale pelagic longline vessels authorised to tranship at sea and a copy of the ICCAT transhipment declaration. ----------------------Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2017 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1936/2001, (EC) No 1984/2003 and (EC) No 520/2007 (OJ L 315, 30.11.2017, p. 1 ).".
| Family | Latin name | English name |
|---|---|---|
| Wahoo | ||
| Slender tuna | ||
| Bullet tuna | ||
| Frigate tuna | ||
| Little tunny/Atlantic black skipjack | ||
| Butterfly kingfish | ||
| Skipjack | ||
| Plain bonito | ||
| Atlantic bonito | ||
| Serra Spanish mackerel | ||
| King mackerel | ||
| Spotted Atlantic Spanish mackerel | ||
| Cero | ||
| West African Spanish mackerel | ||
| Albacore | ||
| Yellowfin tuna | ||
| Blackfin tuna | ||
| Southern bluefin tuna | ||
| Bigeye tuna | ||
| Bluefin tuna | ||
| Atlantic sailfish | ||
| Black marlin | ||
| Atlantic blue marlin | ||
| Atlantic white marlin | ||
| Mediterranean Spearfish | ||
| Roundscale Spearfish | ||
| Longbill Spearfish | ||
| Swordfish | ||
| Bigeye thresher shark | ||
| Silky shark | ||
| Oceanic whitetip shark | ||
| Blue shark | ||
| Shortfin mako shark | ||
| Porbeagle shark | ||
| Hammerhead sharks | ||
| Dolphinfish |
(1) Description (a) FAD types: AFAD = anchored; DFAD = drifting (b) Type of beacon/buoy (c) Maximum number of FAD to be deployed per purse seine and per FAD type (d) Minimum distance between AFADs (e) Incidental by-catch reduction and utilisation policy (f) Consideration of interaction with other gear types (g) Statement or policy on "FAD ownership";
(2) Institutional arrangements (a) Institutional responsibilities for the FAD management plan (b) Application processes for FAD deployment approval (c) Obligations of vessel owners and masters in respect of FAD deployment and use (d) FAD replacement policy (e) Additional reporting obligations beyond this Regulation (f) Conflict resolution policy in respect of FADs (g) Details of any closed areas or periods, e.g. territorial waters, shipping lanes, proximity to artisanal fisheries, etc.;
(3) FAD construction specifications and requirements (a) FAD design characteristics (a description) (b) Lighting requirements (c) Radar reflectors (d) Visible distance (e) FAD markings and identifier (f) Radio buoy markings and identifier (requirement for serial numbers) (g) Echo sounder buoy markings and identifier (requirement for serial numbers) (h) Satellite transceivers (i) Research undertaken on biodegradable FADs (j) Prevention of loss or abandonment of FADs (k) Management of FADs recovery;
(4) Applicable period for the FAD management plan; (5) Means for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the FAD management plan.
| FAD Identifier | FAD & electronic equipment types | FAD Design characteristics | Observation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAD Marking | Associated beacon ID | FAD Type | Type of the associated beacon and /or electronic devices | FAD floating part | FAD underwater hanging structure | |||
| Dimensions | Materials | Dimensions | Materials | |||||
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
sufficient experience to identify species and fishing gear, satisfactory knowledge of the ICCAT conservation and management measures assessed by a certificate provided by the Member State and based on ICCAT training guidelines, the ability to observe and record accurately, a satisfactory knowledge of the language of the flag state of the vessel observed.
(a) be nationals of one of the CPCs; (b) be capable of performing the duties set out in point 3; (c) not have current financial or beneficial interests in the tropical tuna fisheries.
(a) to monitor the fishing vessels' compliance with the relevant conservation and management measures adopted by the ICCAT Commission. In particular, the observers shall: (i) record and report upon the fishing activities carried out; (ii) observe and estimate catches and verify entries made in the logbook; (iii) sight and record vessels which may be fishing in contravention of ICCAT conservation and management measures; (iv) verify the position of the vessel when engaged in catching activity; (v) carry out scientific work such as collecting Task II data when required by ICCAT, based on the directives from the ICCAT Standing Committee on Research and Statistics;
(b) to report without delay, with due regard to the safety of the observer, any fishing activity associated with FADs made by the vessel in the area and during the period referred to in Article 11; (c) to establish general reports compiling the information collected in accordance with this point 3 and provide the master the opportunity to include therein any relevant information.
(a) the observers shall be allowed access to the vessel personnel and to the gear and equipment; (b) upon request, observers shall also be allowed access to the following equipment, if present on the vessels to which they are assigned, in order to facilitate the carrying out of their duties set out in point 3: (i) satellite navigation equipment; (ii) radar display viewing screens when in use; (iii) electronic means of communication;
(c) the observers shall be provided with accommodation, including lodging, food and adequate sanitary facilities, equal to those of officers; (d) the observers shall be provided with adequate space on the bridge or pilot house for clerical work, as well as space on deck adequate for carrying out observer duties; and (e) the flag Member State shall ensure that masters, crew and vessel owners do not obstruct, intimidate, interfere with, influence, bribe or attempt to bribe the observers in the performance of their duties.
| Mitigation measure | Description | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| Night setting with minimum deck lighting | No setting between nautical dawn and nautical dusk. Deck lighting to be kept to a minimum | Nautical dusk and nautical dawn are defined as set out in the Nautical Almanac tables for relevant latitude, local time and date. Minimum deck lighting should not breach minimum standards for safety and navigation. |
| Bird-scaring lines (tori lines) | Bird-scaring lines shall be deployed during longline setting to deter birds from approaching the branch line |
|
| Line weighting | Line weights to be deployed on the snood prior to setting |
(i) When a sea turtle is to be removed from the water, an appropriate basket lift or dip-net shall be used to bring aboard sea turtles that are hooked or entangled in gear. No sea turtle shall be hauled from the water by a fishing line attached to, or entangled upon the body of a sea turtle. If the sea turtle cannot be safely removed from the water, the crew should cut the line as close as possible to the hook, without inflicting additional unnecessary harm on the sea turtle. (ii) In cases where sea turtles are taken on board, vessel operators or crew shall assess the condition of sea turtles that are caught or entangled prior to release. Those sea turtles with difficulties to move or are unresponsive shall be kept on board to the extent practicable and assisted in a manner consistent with maximising their survival prior to release. Those practices are described further in the FAO's Guidelines to reduce sea turtle mortality in fishing operations. (iii) To the extent practicable, sea turtles handled in fishing operations or during national observer programmes (e.g. tagging activities) shall be handled in a manner consistent with the FAO's Guidelines to reduce sea turtle mortality in fishing operations.
(i) Longline vessels shall carry on board line-cutters and use them when de-hooking is not possible without harming the sea turtles while releasing them. (ii) Other types of vessels that use gear that may entangle sea turtles shall carry on board line-cutters and use those tools to safely remove gear, and release sea turtles.
(i) Longline vessels shall carry on board de-hooking devices to effectively remove hooks from sea turtles. (ii) When a hook is swallowed, no attempt shall be made to remove the hook. Instead, the line must be cut as close to the hook as possible without inflicting additional unnecessary harm on the sea turtle.
the quantities of tuna and tuna-like species, if possible, by stock, to be transhipped, the quantities of other species caught in association with tuna and tuna-like species by species, where known, to be transhipped, the date and place of the transhipment, the name, registration number and flag of the receiving carrier vessel, and the geographical location of the catches by species and, where appropriate, by stock, consistent with ICCAT statistical areas.
demonstrated ability to identify ICCAT species and fishing gear with a strong preference given to those with experience as observers on pelagic longline vessels, satisfactory knowledge of the ICCAT conservation and management measures, the ability to observe and record accurately, a satisfactory knowledge of the language of the flag of the vessel observed.
(a) have completed the technical training required by the guidelines established by ICCAT; (b) not be nationals or citizens of the flag State of the receiving carrier vessel; (c) be capable of performing the duties set out in point 5; (d) be included in the list of observers maintained by ICCAT; (e) not be a crew member of the LSPLV or the carrier vessel or an employee of the LSPLV or carrier vessel company.
5.1 Visit the LSPLV intending to tranship to a carrier vessel, taking into account the concerns reflected in point 9, and before the transhipment takes place, to: (a) check the validity of the fishing vessel's authorisation or licence to catch tuna and tuna-like species and any other species caught in association with those species in the ICCAT Convention area; (b) inspect the fishing vessel's prior authorisations to tranship at sea from the flag CPC and, if appropriate, the coastal State; (c) check and record the total quantity of catch on board by species and, if possible, by stock, and the quantities to be transhipped to the carrier vessel; (d) check that the vessel monitoring system (VMS) is functioning and examine the logbook and verify entries, if possible; (e) verify whether any of the catch on board resulted from transfers from other vessels, and check the documentation on such transfers; (f) in the case of indication that there are any violations involving the fishing vessel, immediately report the violation(s) to the master of the carrier vessel (taking due regard of any safety considerations) and to the observer programme implementing company, who shall promptly forward it to the flag CPC authorities of the fishing vessel; and (g) record the results of these duties on the fishing vessel in the observer's report.
5.2 Observe the activities of the carrier vessel and: (a) record and report upon the transhipment activities carried out; (b) verify the position of the vessel when engaged in transhipping; (c) observe and estimate quantities of tuna and tuna-like species transhipped by species, if known, and, if possible, by stock; (d) observe and estimate the quantities of other species caught in association with tuna and tuna-like species by species, if known; (e) verify and record the name of the LSPLV concerned and its ICCAT record number; (f) verify the data contained in the transhipment declaration, including through comparison with the LSPLV logbook, where possible; (g) certify the data contained in the transhipment declaration; (h) countersign the transhipment declaration; and (i) observe and estimate quantities of product by species when offloaded in the port where the observer is disembarked to verify consistency with quantities received during transhipment at sea.
5.3 In addition, the observer shall: (a) issue a daily report of the carrier vessel's transhipping activities; (b) establish general reports compiling the information collected in accordance with the observer's duties and provide the captain the opportunity to include therein any relevant information; (c) submit to the ICCAT Secretariat the general reports referred to in point (b) within 20 days from the end of the period of observation; (d) exercise any other functions as defined by ICCAT.
(a) Observers shall be allowed access to the vessel personnel, pertinent documentation, and to the gear and equipment. (b) Upon request, observers shall also be allowed access to the following equipment, if present on the vessels to which they are assigned, in order to facilitate the carrying out of their duties set out in point 5: (i) satellite navigation equipment; (ii) radar display viewing screens when in use; (iii) electronic means of communication; and (iv) scale used for weighing transhipped product.
(c) Observers shall be provided with accommodations, including lodging, food and adequate sanitary facilities, equal to those of officers. (d) Observers shall be provided with adequate space on the bridge or pilot house for clerical work, as well as space on deck adequate for carrying out observer duties. (e) Observers shall be allowed to determine the most advantageous location and method for viewing transhipment operations and estimating species/stocks and quantities transhipped. In this regard, the master of the carrier vessel, giving due regard to safety and practical concerns, shall accommodate the needs of the observers, including, upon request, temporarily placing product on the carrier vessel deck for inspection by the observers and providing adequate time for the observers to carry out their duties. Observations shall be conducted in a manner that minimises interference and avoids compromising the quality of the products transhipped. (f) In light of the provisions of point 10, the master of the carrier vessel shall ensure that all necessary assistance is provided to the observer to ensure safe transport between the carrier and fishing vessels should weather and other conditions permit such an exchange. and (g) The flag States shall ensure that captains, crew and vessel owners do not obstruct, intimidate, interfere with, influence, bribe or attempt to bribe the observers in the performance of their duties.