F1A fisheries administration must ensure that all carrier vessels transhipping at sea have on board an ICCAT regional observer in accordance with the ICCAT regional observer programme for transhipment at sea as laid down in Annex VIII.

Without prejudice to Article 73 of Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009, the ICCAT regional observer shall be tasked to verify compliance with this Chapter, and, in particular, whether the transhipped quantities are consistent with the reported catch in the ICCAT transhipment declaration and with the catches recorded in the fishing vessel logbook.

Vessels shall be prohibited from commencing or continuing transhipping in the ICCAT Convention area without an ICCAT regional observer on board, except in cases of force majeure duly notified to the ICCAT Secretariat.