FantasticSearch

1. An encounter with VME indicator species is defined as catch per set (for example trawl tow, longline set, or gill net set) of more than 7 kg of sea pens and/or 60 kg of other live coral and/or 300 kg of sponges.

2. Each Member State shall require that masters of vessels flying its flag and conducting bottom fishing activities in the Regulatory Area quantify the catch of VME indicator species, where evidence of VME indicator species, in accordance with Part VI of Annex I.E to the CEM referred to in point 3 of the Annex to this Regulation, are encountered during the course of fishing operations.

3. If the quantity of VME indicator species caught in the fishing operation referred to in paragraph 2 (such as trawl tow or set of a gill net or longline) is beyond the threshold defined in paragraph 1, the master of the vessel shall:

(a) report the encounter without delay to the competent authority of the flag Member State including the position that is provided by the vessel, either the end point of the tow or set or another position that is closest to the exact encounter location, the VME indicator species encountered, the quantity (kg) of VME indicator species encountered; and (b) cease fishing and move away at least 2 nautical miles from the endpoint of the tow/set in the direction least likely to result in further encounters. The master of the vessel shall use his best judgment based on all available sources of information.

4. Each Member State shall require that an observer with sufficient scientific expertise be deployed in accordance with point (b) of Article 19(3) for the areas outside the footprint who shall:

(a) identify corals, sponges and other organisms to the lowest possible taxonomical level, using the ‘Exploratory Fishery Data Collection Form’ in accordance with Annex I.E to the CEM referred to in point 24 of the Annex to this Regulation; and (b) deliver the results of such identification to the master of the vessel to facilitate the quantification referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article.

5. Each Member State shall:

(a) forward, without delay, the encounter information reported by the master of the vessel to the Commission if the quantity of the VME indicator species caught in a fishing operation (such as trawl, tow, set, of a gill net or longline) is beyond the threshold defined in paragraph 1;

(b) issue an immediate alert of the encounter to all fishing vessels flying its flag; and, (c) temporarily close, where possible, a two mile radius around any reported VME encounter location outside the footprint upon notification by the Commission.

The Commission may reopen temporarily closed areas upon notification from NAFO.