1.Fishing vessels operating with bottom trawls or seines in ICES division 7a (Irish Sea) shall comply with the technical measures set out in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.
2.Vessels operating with bottom trawls or seines with a cod-end mesh size equal to or larger than 70 mm and smaller than 100 mm and with catches comprising more than 5 % of Norway lobster shall use one of the following gear options:
(a)300 mm square mesh panel; vessels below 12 meters in length over all may use a 200 mm squared mesh panel;
(b)Seltra panel;
(c)Sorting grid with 35 mm bar spacing as referred to in Annex VI Part B to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241;
(d)CEFAS Netgrid;
(e)Flip-flap trawl.
3.Vessels equal to or greater than 12 meters in length over all operating with bottom trawls or seines with catches comprising more than 10 % of haddock, cod and skates and rays combined, shall use one of the following gear options:
(a)120 mm cod-end;
(b)an eliminator trawl with 600 mm large mesh panels and a 100 mm cod-end.
4.Vessels equal to or greater than 12 meters in length over all operating with bottom trawls or seines with catches comprising less than 10 % of haddock, cod and skates and rays combined shall apply a cod-end mesh size of 100 mm with a 100 mm squared mesh panel. This provision shall not apply to vessels with catches comprising more than 30 % of Norway lobster or more than 85 % of Queen scallops.
5.A selective gear or device assessed by [F1a fisheries administration] as having the same or higher selectivity characteristics for cod, haddock and whiting than the gear options set out in pargraphs 1 to 4 may be used as an alternative to those gear options
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Art. 10(5) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Common Fisheries Policy (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1542), regs. 1(3), 6(8)