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However, a vessel with a track record of using a gear belonging to a grouping of fishing gear defined in point 4.1 may be authorized to use a fishing gear, provided that the number of days allocated to this latter gear is greater than or equal to the number of days allocated to the first gear.
Each Member State shall ensure that, when carrying on board any of the groupings of fishing gear referred to in point 4.1, fishing vessels flying its flag and registered in the Community shall be present within a geographical area defined in point 2.1 for no more than the number of days set out in point 8.
A Member State shall not count against the days present within an area allocated to any of vessels flying its flag under this Annex either any days when the vessel was present within an area but unable to fish because it was assisting another vessel in need of emergency aid or any days when a vessel has been present within an area but unable to fish because it is transporting an injured person for emergency medical aid. The Member State shall provide justification to the Commission within one month of any decisions taken on this basis with associated evidence of the emergency from competent authorities.