Member States shall designate regions of their territory for the management of notifications of movements of aquatic animals to other Member States, as provided for in Articles 17, 18 and 19.

When designating those regions, the Member States shall ensure that:

1. (a)

   all parts of their territory are covered by at least one designated region;

2. (b)

   each designated region falls within the responsibility of a competent authority designated for animal health certification purposes in that designated region;

3. (c)

   the competent authority responsible for the designated region has access to TRACES;

4. (d)

   the personnel of the competent authority responsible for the designated region possess the appropriate ability and knowledge, and have received specific training, or have equivalent practical experiences in the use of TRACES for the production, handling and transmission of the information provided for in Articles 17, 18 and 19.