Council Regulation (EC) No 27/2005Show full title

PART F EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN

18. Purse seines in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (Regulatory Area of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC))

The fishing by purse-seine vessels for Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares), Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) and Skipjack Tunas (Katsuwonus pelamis) shall be prohibited from either, 1 August to 11 September 2005, or, 20 November to 31 December 2005 in the area defined by the following limits:

• the Pacific coastlines of the Americas,

• longitude 150° W,

• latitude 40° N,

• latitude 40° S.

The Member States concerned shall notify the Commission of the selected period of closure before 1 July 2005. All the purse seine vessels of the Member States concerned must stop purse-seine fishing in the defined area during the period selected.

As of the date of entry into force of this Regulation purse seiners fishing for tuna in the Regulatory Area of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission shall retain on board and then land all bigeye, skipjack and yellowfin tuna caught, except fish considered unfit for human consumption for reasons other than size. A single exception shall be the final set of a trip, when there may be insufficient well space remaining to accommodate all the tuna caught in that set.

Purse seine vessels shall promptly release unharmed, to the extent practicable, all sea turtles, sharks, billfishes, rays, dorado, and other non-target species. Fishermen shall be encouraged to develop and use techniques and equipment to facilitate the rapid and safe release of any such animals.

The following specific measures to encircled or entangled sea turtles shall apply:

(a)

whenever a sea turtle is sighted in the net, all reasonable efforts shall be made to rescue the turtle before it becomes entangled in the net, including, if necessary, the deployment of a speedboat,

(b)

if a turtle is entangled in the net, net roll should stop as soon as the turtle comes out of the water and should not start again until the turtle has been disentangled and released,

(c)

if a turtle is brought on board a vessel, all appropriate methods to assist in the recovery of the turtle should be made before returning it to the water,

(d)

tuna-fishing vessels shall be prohibited from disposing of salt bags or any other type of plastic rubbish at sea,

(e)

the release, when practicable, of sea turtles entangled in Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and other fishing gear is encouraged,

(f)

the recovery of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) which are not being used in the fishery is also encouraged.