Annex

The Annexes to Regulation (EC) No 850/98 are amended as follows:

1. (1)

   in Annex I, footnote 6 of the table is deleted;

2. (2)

   in Annex IV, the table is replaced by the following:

   ‘

   Towed gears: Skagerrak and Kattegat

   Mesh size ranges, target species and required catch percentages applicable to the use of a single mesh size range

   Only within 4 miles from the baselines.
   Outside 4 miles from the baselines.
   From 1 March to 31 October in Skagerrak and from 1 March to 31 July in Kattegat.
   From 1 November to the last day of February in Skagerrak and from 1 August to the last day of February in Kattegat.
   When applying this mesh size range, the codend shall be constructed of square mesh netting with a sorting grid in accordance with Annex XIVa of this Regulation.
   The catch retained on board shall consist of no more than 10 % of any mixture of cod, haddock, hake, plaice, witch, lemon sole, sole, turbot, brill, flounder, mackerel, megrim, whiting, dab, saithe, Norway lobster and lobster.
   The catch retained on board shall consist of no more than 50 % of any mixture of cod, haddock, hake, plaice, witch, lemon sole, sole, turbot, brill, flounder, herring, mackerel, megrim, dab, saithe, Norway lobster and lobster.
   The catch retained on board shall consist of no more than 60 % of any mixture of cod, haddock, hake, plaice, witch, lemon sole, sole, turbot, brill, flounder, megrim, whiting, dab, saithe and lobster.
   Species	Mesh size range (mm)
   	< 16	16-31		32-69		35-69	70-89f1	≥ 90
   	Minimum percentage of target species
   	50 %f2	50 %	20 %	50 %	20 %	20 %f3	30 %f4	none
   Sand eel (Ammodytidae)f5	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
   Sand eel (Ammodytidae)f6		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Norway pout (Trisopterus esmarkii)		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou)		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Greater weever (Trachinus draco)f7		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Molluscs (except Sepia)		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Garfish (Belone belone)		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Gray gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus)		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Argentine (Argentina spp.)				X	X	X	X	X
   Sprat (Sprattus sprattus)		X		X	X	X	X	X
   Eel (Anguilla Anguilla)			X	X	X	X	X	X
   Common shrimp/Baltic shrimp (Crangon spp., Palaemon adspersus)			X	X	X	X	X	X
   Mackerel (Scomber spp.)				X			X	X
   Horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.)				X			X	X
   Herring (Clupea harengus)				X			X	X
   Northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis)						X	X	X
   Common shrimp/Baltic shrimp (Crangon spp., Palaemon adspersus)f8					X		X	X
   Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)							X	X
   Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus)							X	X
   All other marine organisms								X

   ’;

3. (3)

   the table in Annex XII is amended as follows:

   1. (a)

      the rows corresponding to the short-necked clam and the octopus are replaced by the following:

      ‘

      Species	Minimum size
      	Regions 1 to 5, except Skagerrak/Kattegat	Skagerrak/Kattegat
      Short-necked clam (Venerupis philippinarum)	35 mm

      Species	Minimum Size; Regions 1 to 5, except Skagerrak/Kattegat
      Octopus (Octopus Vulgaris)	Whole area except waters under sovereignty or jurisdiction of Region 5: 750 grams Waters under sovereignty or jurisdiction of Region 5: 450 grams (gutted)

      ’

   2. (b)

      the rows corresponding to anchovy are replaced by the following:

      Species	Minimum Size; Regions 1 to 5, except Skagerrak/Kattegat
      ‘Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)	Whole area, except ICES division IXa east of longitude 7° 23′ 48″ W: 12 cm or 90 individuals/kg ICES division IXa east of longitude 7° 23′ 48″ W: 10 cm’

4. (4)

   the following annex is inserted:

   ANNEX XII a

   Minimum sizes for Region 9

   Species	Minimum size: Region 9
   Turbot (Psetta maxima)	45 cm

5. (5)

   in Annex XIV, the following names are inserted in their corresponding alphabetical order of vernacular names:

   VERNACULAR NAME	SCIENTIFIC NAME
   ‘Boarfish	Capros aper
   Greater forkbeard	Phycis blennoides
   Redfish	Sebastes spp.
   Sardinelles	Sardinella aurita’

6. (6)

   the following annexes are inserted:

   ‘ANNEX XIVa

   SPECIFICATIONS FOR A SORTING GRID

   1.

   The species selective grid shall be attached in trawls with full square mesh codend with a mesh size equal to or larger than 70 millimetres and smaller than 90 millimetres. The minimum length of the codend shall be 8 metres. It shall be prohibited to use any trawl with more than 100 square meshes in any circumference of the codend, excluding the joining or the selvedges. The square mesh codend is required only in Skagerrak and Kattegat.

   2.

   The grid shall be rectangular. The bars of the grid shall be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the grid. The bar spacing of the grid shall not exceed 35 millimetres. It shall be permitted to use one or more hinges in order to facilitate its storage on the net drum.

   3.

   The grid shall be mounted diagonally in the trawl, upwards and backwards, anywhere from just in front of the codend to the anterior end of the untapered section. All sides of the grid shall be attached to the trawl.

   4.

   In the upper panel of the trawl there shall be an unblocked fish outlet in immediate connection to the upper side of the grid. The opening of the fish outlet shall have the same width in the posterior side as the width of the grid and shall be cut out to a tip in the anterior direction along mesh bars from both sides of the grid.

   5.

   It shall be permitted to attach in front of the grid a funnel to lead the fish towards the trawl floor and grid. The minimum mesh size of the funnel shall be 70 millimetres. The minimum vertical opening of the guiding funnel towards the grid shall be 15 centimetres. The width of the guiding funnel towards the grid shall be the grid width.

   

   Schematic illustration of a size and species selective trawl. Entering fish are led towards the trawl floor and grid via a leading funnel. Larger fish are then led out of the trawl by the grid while smaller fish and Norway lobster pass through the grid and enter the codend. The full square mesh codend enhances escapement of small fish and undersized Norway lobster. The square mesh codend shown in the diagram is required only in Skagerrak and Kattegat.

   ANNEX XIVb

   CONDITIONS FOR FISHERIES WITH CERTAIN TOWED GEARS AUTHORISED IN THE BAY OF BISCAY

   1.

   Specifications of the top square mesh panel

   The panel shall be a rectangular section of netting. There shall be only one panel. The panel shall not be obstructed in any way by either internal or external attachments.

   2.

   Location of the panel

   The panel shall be inserted into the middle of the top panel of the rear tapered section of the trawl, just in front of the untapered section constituted by the extension piece and the codend.

   The panel shall terminate not more than 12 meshes from the hand braided row of meshes between the extension piece and the rear tapered section of the trawl.

   3.

   Size of the panel

   The length of the panel shall be at least 2 metres and the width of the panel at least 1 metre.

   4.

   Netting of the panel

   The meshes shall have a minimum mesh opening of 100 millimetres. The meshes will be square meshes, i.e. all four sides of the panel netting shall be cut all bars.

   The netting shall be mounted such that the bars run parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the codend.

   The netting shall be single twine. The twine thickness shall be not more than 4 millimetres.

   5.

   Insertion of the panel into the diamond mesh netting

   It shall be permitted to attach a selvedge on the four sides of the panel. The diameter of this selvedge shall be no more than 12 millimetres.

   The stretched length of the panel shall be equal to the stretched length of the diamond meshes attached to the longitudinal side of the panel.

   The number of diamond meshes of the top panel attached to the smallest side of the panel (i.e. one metre long side which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the codend) shall be at least the number of full diamond meshes attached to the longitudinal side of the panel divided by 0,7.

   6.

   The insertion of the panel into the trawl is illustrated below.

   

   ANNEX XIVc

   SQUARE MESH PANEL FOR VESSELS OF MORE THAN 15 METRES

   1.

   Specifications of the top square mesh panel

   The panel shall be a rectangular section of netting. The netting shall be single twine. The meshes shall be square meshes, i.e. all four sides of the panel netting shall be cut all bars. The mesh size shall be equal or more than 120 millimetres. The length of the panel shall be at least 3 metres except when incorporated into nets towed by vessels of less than 112 kW, when it shall be of at least 2 metres in length.

   2.

   Location of the panel

   The panel shall be inserted into the top panel of the codend. The rearmost edge of the panel shall be no more than 12 metres from the codline as defined in Article 8 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3440/84 of 6 December 1984 on the attachment of devices to trawls, Danish seines and similar nets^f9.

   3.

   Insertion of the panel into the diamond mesh netting

   There shall be no more than two open diamond meshes between the longitudinal side of the panel and the adjacent selvedge.

   The stretched length of the panel shall be equal to the stretched length of the diamond meshes attached to the longitudinal side of the panel. The joining rate between the diamond meshes of the top panel of the codend and the smallest side of the panel shall be three diamond meshes to one square mesh for 80 millimetre codends, or two diamond meshes to one square mesh for 120 millimetre codends, except for edge bars of the panel from both sides.

   ANNEX XIVd

   SQUARE MESH PANEL FOR VESSELS OF LESS THAN 15 METRES

   1.

   Specifications of the top square mesh panel

   The panel shall be a rectangular section of netting. The netting shall be single twine. The meshes shall be square meshes, i.e. all four sides of the panel netting shall be cut all bars. The mesh size shall be equal or more than 110 millimetres. The length of the panel shall be at least 3 metres except when incorporated into nets towed by vessels of less than 112 kW, when it shall be of at least 2 metres in length.

   2.

   Location of the panel

   The panel shall be inserted into the top panel of the codend. The rearmost edge of the panel shall be no more than 12 metres from the codline as defined in Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 3440/84.

   3.

   Insertion of the panel into the diamond mesh netting

   There shall be no more than two open diamond meshes between the longitudinal side of the panel and the adjacent selvedge. The stretched length of the panel shall be equal to the stretched length of the diamond meshes attached to the longitudinal side of the panel. The joining rate between the diamond meshes of the top panel of the codend and the smallest side of the panel shall be two diamond meshes to one square mesh, except for edge bars of the window from both sides.

   .’.