3.—(1) No British fishing boat may carry or tow a scallop dredge within British fishery limits unless the dredge conforms to the following specifications.
(2) It must—
(a)include a functioning, operational and moveable spring-loaded tooth bar and belly bar;
(b)not have any part of its frame that exceeds 85 centimetres in width;
(c)not contain any attachments;
(d)not contain a diving plate or any other similar device;
(e)not exceed 150 kilograms in weight including all fittings;
(f)not contain more than 1 row of belly rings hanging from either side of the dredge perpendicular to the rings which hang from the belly bar.
(3) If the dredge measures 80 centimetres or more in width, it must not have—
(a)more than 8 rows of belly rings hanging from the belly bar;
(b)more than—
(i)9 teeth on the tooth bar, if—
(aa)the fishing boat in question is outside the relevant area; or
(bb)each tooth measures 12 millimetres or less; or
(ii)8 teeth on the tooth bar, if—
(aa)the fishing boat in question is inside the relevant area; and
(bb)any tooth measures more than 12 millimetres.
(4) If the dredge measures less than 80 centimetres in width, it must not have—
(a)more than 6 rows of belly rings hanging from the belly bar; or
(b)more than 6 teeth on the tooth bar.
(5) Each tooth on the tooth bar must measure no more than—
(a)22 millimetres if the dredge measures 80 centimetres or more in width; or
(b)12 millimetres if the dredge measures less than 80 centimetres in width.
(6) For the purposes of this article—
(a)the size of the tooth on a tooth bar is its maximum width measured in the direction of the line of the tooth bar; and
(b)belly rings and the fastenings that attach the belly rings to each other and to the frame are not attachments.
(7) In this article—
“attachment” means anything that is fitted to the scallop dredge (other than something that is used solely to aid the lifting and emptying of the dredge and which in no way obstructs the belly rings or any netting);
“belly bar” means the bar attached to the frame of a scallop dredge which runs parallel to the tooth bar and from which most of the belly rings ultimately hang;
“row of belly rings” means a line of single interconnecting rings, where the ring at one end of the line hangs either from the belly bar or from the main structure of the dredge perpendicular to the belly bar;
“the relevant area” means that part of ICES division VIIa which is north of the line 52° 30′N but outside the Scottish zone, and all of ICES division VIId;
“tooth bar” means the bar to which are attached teeth, the ends of which point downwards and are dragged along the sea bed when the dredge is towed.
