Council Regulation (EC) No 40/2008Show full title

Article 74 Pelagic fisheries — Capacity limitation

1. Member States shall limit the total level of gross tonnage (GT) of vessels flying their flag and fishing for pelagic stocks in 2008 to the levels of total GT recorded in 2007 in the SPFO area in a manner that sustainable exploitation of the pelagic fishery resources in South Pacific is ensured.

2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission by 15 January 2008 the total level of GT recorded in the Area in 2007 for those vessels flying their flag and actively fishing in 2007. In notifying this information, Member States shall verify the effective presence of their vessels in the SPFO area in 2007 through VMS records, catch reports, port calls or other means.

3. Member States with a catch history in the pelagic fisheries in the South Pacific, but not exercising their fisheries activities in 2007, may enter the fishery in the SPFO area in 2008 provided that they exercise voluntary restraint of fishing effort. These Member States shall promptly notify the Commission of the names and characteristics, including GT, of their vessels engaged in the fishery in the SPFO area.

4. Member States shall submit for review to the Interim Science Working Group of the SPFO any stock assessments and research in respect of pelagic stocks in the SPFO area and shall promote the active participation of their scientific experts in Organisation's scientific works on pelagic species.

5. Member States shall ensure as much as possible an appropriate level of observer coverage on fishing vessels flying their flag in order to observe the pelagic fisheries in the South Pacific and collect relevant scientific information.