Division 2 For the discards:

the ranking system referred to in Chapter III section B/B1 3 (1) (b), shall be used to select the metiers in order to estimate discards. In any case, where discards of a given metier are estimated to exceed 10 % of the total volume of catches and this metier is not picked up by the ranking system this metier shall be sampled;

the sampling unit shall be the fishing trip and the number of fishing trips to be sampled shall ensure good coverage of the metier;

precision values and the ranking system are referenced at the same level as the sampling programmes, i.e. at the national metier level for data that are collected through national programmes and at regional metier level for data that are collected through regionally coordinated sampling programmes;

the sampling intensity shall be proportionate to the relative effort and/or the variability in catches of the metier. The minimum number of fishing trips to be sampled shall not be less than 2 fishing trips per quarter;

discards will be monitored for the Group 1, 2 and 3 species, defined in Chapter III section B/B1/3. (f), to estimate the quarterly average weight of discards. Furthermore:

• discards must be the subject of a quarterly estimate of the length distributions when they represent on an annual basis, either more than 10 % of the total catches by weight or more than 15 % of the catches in numbers for the Group 1 and Group 2 species,

• when discards take place for species length ranges which are not represented in the landings, age-reading must take place in accordance with the rules set out in Appendix VII;

where relevant, pilot surveys as referred to in Chapter II B (1) shall be carried out;

a summary of the sampling protocols carried out by Member States shall be made available to STECF through the national programmes for each metier sampled.