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1. Each Member State shall require observers to carry out, in particular, the following tasks:

(a) record and report on the fishing activity of the observed vessel, which shall include at least the following:

(i) data collection, including quantifying total target catch, by-catch and discards (including sharks, sea turtles, marine mammals, and seabirds), estimating or measuring size composition, as practicable, disposition status (i.e. retained, discarded dead, released alive) and the collection of biological samples for life history studies (e.g. gonads, otoliths, spines, scales);

(ii) information on all tags found;

(iii) fishing operation information, including location of catch by latitude and longitude, fishing effort information (e.g. number of sets, number of hooks), date of each fishing operation, including, as appropriate, the start and stop times of the fishing activity, use of fish aggregating objects, including FADs, and general condition of released animals related to survival rates (i.e. dead or alive, wounded);

(b) observe and record the use of mitigation measures to reduce incidental catches and other relevant information;

(c) to the extent possible, observe and report environmental conditions (e.g. sea state, climate and hydrologic parameters);

(d) observe and report on FADs, in accordance with the ICCAT regional observer programme adopted under the multi-annual conservation and management programme for tropical tuna; and (e) perform any other scientific tasks as recommended by the ICCAT Standing Committee on Research and Statistics and agreed by the Commission.

2. Member States shall ensure that observers:

(a) do not interfere with the electronic equipment of the vessel;

(b) are familiar with the emergency procedures aboard the vessel, including the location of life rafts, fire extinguishers and first aid kits;

(c) communicate as needed with the master on relevant observer issues and tasks;

(d) do not hinder or interfere with the fishing activities and the normal operations of the vessel;

(e) participate in debriefing sessions with appropriate representatives of the scientific institute or the domestic authority responsible for implementing the observer programme.

3. The master of the vessel to which the observer is assigned shall:

(a) permit appropriate access to the vessel and its operations;

(b) allow the observer to carry out the observer tasks in an effective way, including by:

(i) providing appropriate access to the vessel’s gear, documentation (including electronic and paper logbooks), and catch;

(ii) communicating at any time with appropriate representatives of the scientific institute or domestic authority;

(iii) ensuring appropriate access to electronics and other equipment pertinent to fishing, including:

— satellite navigation equipment,

— electronic means of communication;

(iv) ensuring that no one on board the observed vessel tampers with or destroys observer equipment or documentation, obstructs, interferes with, or otherwise acts in a manner that could unnecessarily prevent the observer from performing observer tasks;

(c) provide accommodation to observers, including berthing, food and adequate sanitary and medical facilities, equal to those of officers;

(d) provide the observer adequate space on the bridge or pilot house to perform observer tasks, as well as space on deck adequate for carrying out observer tasks.

4. Each Member State shall:

(a) require vessels flying its flag, when fishing for ICCAT species, to carry a scientific observer in accordance with this Regulation;

(b) oversee the safety of its observers;

(c) encourage, where feasible and appropriate, their scientific institute or domestic authority to enter into agreements with the scientific institutes or domestic authorities of other Member States or CPCs for the exchange of observer reports and observer data between them;

(d) provide in its annual report for use by the Commission and the ICCAT Standing Committee on Research and Statistics, specific information on the implementation of ICCAT Recommendation 16-14, which shall include:

(i) details on the structure and design of their scientific observer programmes, including, inter alia:

— the target level of observer coverage by fishery and gear type as well as how it is measured,

— data required to be collected,

— data collection and handling protocols in place,

— information on how vessels are selected for coverage to achieve the Member States’ target level of observer coverage,

— observer training requirements, and — observer qualification requirements;

(ii) the number of vessels monitored, the coverage level achieved by fishery and gear type, and details on how those coverage levels were calculated;

(e) following the initial submission of the information required under point (d)(i), report changes to the structure and design of its observer programmes in its annual reports only when such changes occur; and continue to report the information required pursuant to point (d)(ii) to the Commission annually;

(f) each year, using the designated electronic formats that are developed by the ICCAT Standing Committee on Research and Statistics, report to that committee information collected through domestic observer programmes for use by the Commission, in particular for stock assessment and other scientific purposes, in line with procedures in place for other data reporting requirements and consistent with domestic confidentiality requirements;

(g) ensure implementation of robust data collection protocols by its observers, when carrying out their tasks referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, including, as necessary and appropriate, the use of photography.