FantasticSearch

1. Union purse seine vessels fishing in exclusive economic zones and on the high seas within the Convention Area bounded by 20°N and 20°S shall retain on board all catches of bigeye, skipjack and yellowfin tuna, except in the following situations:

(a) where, in the final set of a trip, there is insufficient storage space to accommodate all fish caught in that set; in which case, the excess fish caught in that last set may be transferred to and retained on board another purse seine vessel, provided that this is not prohibited under applicable law;

(b) where the fish are unfit for human consumption; and (c) where a serious malfunction of equipment occurs.

2. Where the master of a Union fishing vessel determines that a fish should not be taken on board for reasons related to the size, marketability or species composition, the fish shall be released before the net is fully pursed and not more than one half of the net has been retrieved.

3. Where the master of a Union fishing vessel determines that a fish should not be taken on board because it was caught during the final set of a trip when there is insufficient storage space to accommodate all fish caught in that set, the fish may be discarded provided that:

(a) the master and crew attempt to release the fish alive as soon as possible; and (b) no further fishing is undertaken after the discard until the fish on board the fishing vessel have been landed or transhipped.

4. Fish shall be discarded from Union fishing vessels only after an ROP observer has estimated the species composition of the fish to be discarded.

5. Within 48 hours after any discard, the master of the Union fishing vessel shall submit to the WCPFC Secretariat, with the flag Member State and the Commission in copy, a report that includes the following information:

(a) name, flag and WIN of the Union fishing vessel and name and nationality of the master;

(b) licence number;

(c) name of the observer on board;

(d) date, time and location (latitude/longitude) of discarding;

(e) date, time, location (latitude/longitude) and type (drifting FAD, anchored FAD, free school, etc.) of the set;

(f) reason that the fish were discarded, including a statement of retrieval status if the fish were discarded because they were unfit for human consumption;

(g) estimated tonnage and species composition of discarded fish;

(h) estimated tonnage and species composition of retained fish from that set;

(i) if the fish were discarded in accordance with paragraph 3, a statement that no further fishing will be undertaken until the catch on board has been unloaded; and (j) any other information deemed relevant by the master of the Union fishing vessel.

6. The master of the Union fishing vessel shall provide, at the same time that it is submitted to the WCPFC Secretariat, the information referred to in paragraph 5 to an ROP observer on board.