{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2009-679/annex-III",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2009-679/annex-III.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2009/679",
  "legislation_title": "Council Regulation (EC) No 679/2009 of 7 July 2009 amending Regulation (EC) No 1386/2007 laying down conservation and enforcement measures applicable in the Regulatory Area of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2009-679",
  "path": "annex/III",
  "kind": "annex",
  "number": "III",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "‘ANNEX XVI\nTEMPLATES FOR THE EXPLORATORY PROTOCOL FOR NEW FISHING AREAS WHERE FISHING GEAR IS LIKELY TO CONTACT THE SEAFLOOR\nI.\nMember State submits notice of intent to undertake exploratory fishing to the NAFO secretariat via the Commission\nHarvesting plan\nMitigation plan\nCatch monitoring\nData collection\nTarget species\nMeasures to prevent significant adverse impacts to VMEs\nIdentify and record all species brought onboard to the lowest possible taxonomic level\nData will be collected and reported in a standardised format\nFishing dates\n100 % satellite coverage\nDescription of area to be fished\n100 % observer coverage\nAnticipated effort\nBottom fishing gear-type(s) used\nII.\nMember State submits trip report to the NAFO secretariat via the Commission\nADVANCED NOTICE OF INTENT TO UNDERTAKE EXPLORATORY FISHING\nNAME OF VESSEL:\nFLAG STATE OF VESSEL:\nANTICIPATED LOCATION(S) OF EXPLORATORY FISHING ACTIVITIES (INCLUDE LAT/LONG):\nANTICIPATED DATES OF EXPLORATORY FISHING ACTIVITIES:\nHAS ANY PREVIOUS FISHING BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN ADJACENT AREAS (IF SO, IDENTIFY INFORMATION SOURCE):\nDEPTHS EXPECTED TO BE ENCOUNTERED DURING EXPLORATORY FISHING ACTIVITIES:\nDO HABITAT MAPS OF THE AREA EXIST (IF SO, PLEASE IDENTIFY SOURCE(S)):\nARE TAXONOMIC KEYS IDENTIFYING POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE SPECIES AVAILABLE (IF SO, IDENTIFY SOURCES(S)):\nKNOWN VULNERABLE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS (VMEs) IN THE LOCATION(S) TO BE FISHED:\nMITIGATION MEASURES TO PREVENT SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACT TO VMEs, IF ENCOUNTERED:\nDO BATHYMETRIC MAPS OF THE EXPLORATORY AREA EXIST (IF SO, PLEASE IDENTIFY SOURCE(S)):\nDOES ANY FISHERIES SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION IN THE EXPLORATORY AREA EXIST (IF SO, IDENTIFY SOURCE(S)):\nTARGET SPECIES BEING SOUGHT:\nWHAT GEAR TYPE(S) ARE BEING PROPOSED TO BE USED (PLEASE IDENTIFY) IN WHAT AREAS (INCLUDE LAT/LONG):\nIII.\nMember State exploratory fishing trip report submitted to the NAFO scientific Council\nNAME OF VESSEL:\nFLAG STATE OF VESSEL:\nLOCATION(S) OF AREAS FISHED (INCLUDE LAT/LONG):\nDATES OF FISHING ACTIVITIES:\nDEPTHS ENCOUNTERED DURING FISHING (LIST FOR EACH HAUL INCLUDING LAT/LONG):\nTOTAL HOURS/AREA FISHED (LIST FOR EACH HAUL INCLUDING LAT/LONG):\nGEAR TYPE(S) USED (PLEASE IDENTIFY) IN WHAT AREAS (INCLUDE LAT/LONG):\nVULNERABLE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS (VMEs) ENCOUNTERED (LIST FOR EACH HAUL INCLUDE LAT/LONG):\nMITIGATION MEASURES TAKEN TO PREVENT SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACT TO VMEs IF ENCOUNTERED:\nLIST OF ALL ORGANISMS (RETAINED, BYCATCH) BROUGHT ONBOARD (IDENTIFIED TO THE LOWEST TAXONOMIC UNIT):\nLIST OF POTENTIAL VULNERABLE INDICATOR SPECIES BROUGHT ONBOARD BY LOCATION (INCLUDE LAT/LONG):\nLIST OF ORGANISMS RETAINED FOR BIOLOGICAL SAMPLING (E.G., LENGTH-WEIGHT, SEX, AGE), IF ANY:\nNote: Data reporting should follow a standardised specification, for example, as adopted by Scientific Observer programs.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Exploratory fishing is defined as all bottom fishing activities in new areas or with bottom gear not previously used in the area concerned."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Refer to FAO International Guideline for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "Exploratory fishing is defined as all bottom fishing activities in new areas or with bottom gear not previously used in the area concerned."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "Refer to FAO International Guideline for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "Refer to Annex 1 FAO International Guideline for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas.’"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2009/679/annex/III",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:51:22.329648+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}