
TITLE I
Article 1 
This Regulation lays down technical conservation measures applicable to the capture and landing of certain stocks of highly migratory species as referred to in Annex I and to the capture of by-catches.
Article 2 
Without prejudice to Article 9, this Regulation applies to United Kingdom fishing vessels.
Article 3 
For the purposes of this Regulation:

1.. ‘Highly migratory species’ means the species listed in Annex I.
2.. ‘Tunas and related species covered by ICCAT’ means the species listed in Annex II.
3.. ‘Dolphin mortality limit’ means the limit defined in Article V of the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme.
4.. ‘Leisure fisheries’ means fishing activities exploiting living aquatic resources for recreation or sport.
5.. ‘Encircling nets’ means nets which catch fish by surrounding them both from the sides and from below; they may or may not be equipped with a purse line.
6.. ‘Purse seines’ means any encircling net the bottom of which is drawn together by means of a purse line at the bottom of the net, which passes through a series of rings along the groundrope, enabling the net to be pursed and closed. Purse seines may be used to catch small pelagic species, large pelagic species or demersal species.
7.. ‘Longlines’ means a fishing gear which comprises a main line carrying numerous hooks on branch lines (snoods) of variable length and spacing depending on the target species. It may be deployed either vertically or horizontally to the sea surface; it may be set either at or near the bottom (bottom-set longline) or drifting in midwater or near the surface (surface longline).
8.. ‘Hook’ means a bent, sharpened piece of steel wire usually with barb. The point of a hook may be either straight or even reversed and curved. The shank can be of varying length and form and its cross section can be round (regular) or flattened (forged). The total length of a hook shall be measured as the maximum overall length of the shank from the tip of the hook which serves for fastening the line and is usually shaped as an eye, to the apex of the bend. The width of a hook shall be measured as the greatest horizontal distance from the external part of the shank to the external part of the barb.
9.. ‘Fish-aggregating devices (FADs)’ means any equipment floating on the sea surface and with the objective of attracting fish.
10.. ‘Pole and line tuna vessel’ means vessels equiped for catching tuna by pole and line.
Article 4 
For the purposes of this Regulation, the following definitions of maritime waters shall apply:

1.. ...
                              
2.. Area 2
all waters of the Indian Ocean covered by the Agreement for the establishment of the IOTC as defined in Article 2 thereof;
3.. Area 3
all waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean as defined in Article 3 of the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme;
4.. Area 4
all waters of the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean as defined in Article 3 of the WCPFC Convention.
TITLE II
            
CHAPTER 1
Article 5 
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Article 6 
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Article 7 
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CHAPTER 2
Article 8 
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Article 9 
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Article 10 
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                        Article 11 
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CHAPTER 3
Article 12 
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CHAPTER 4
Article 13 
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Article 14 
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Article 15 
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Article 16 
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Article 17 
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TITLE III
CHAPTER 1
Article 18 

1. A fisheries administration, acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in  Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 must  determine the number of  United Kingdom  fishing vessels greater than 24 metres in length overall authorised to fish in Area 2. The number of vessels is set at the number of  United Kingdom  fishing vessels registered in the IOTC vessels register in 2003. The restriction on the number of vessels must correspond to the overall gross tonnage (GT). Where vessels are replaced the overall tonnage must not be exceeded.
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CHAPTER 2
Article 19 

1. A fisheries administration must do its  utmost to encourage the release of live sharks caught accidentally, in particular juveniles.
2. A fisheries administration must  encourage the reduction of discards of sharks.
Article 20 

1. A fisheries administration must do its  utmost to reduce the impact of fishing on sea turtles, in particular by applying the measures provided for in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.
2. The use of all fishing gear shall be subject to the following conditions:
(a) appropriate handling, including the recovery or prompt release of sea turtles caught accidentally (by hooks or nets) or as by-catch;
(b) the presence on board of equipment necessary for the release of sea turtles caught accidentally or as by-catch.
3. The use of the purse seine shall be subject to the following conditions:
(a) an obligation to avoid, where possible, encircling sea turtles;
(b) the development and application of specifications for appropriate gear for minimising by-catches of sea turtles;
(c) the adoption of all the measures necessary for releasing encircled or caught sea turtles;
(d) the adoption of all the measures necessary for monitoring fish-aggregating devices in which sea turtles could be caught, to release those taken and recover devices that are not used.
4. The use of longlines shall be subject to the following conditions:
(a) the development and putting in place of combinations of hook shapes, type of lures, depth and design of nets and fishing practices to minimise accidental catches or by-catches and mortality of sea turtles;
(b) the presence on board of equipment necessary for releasing sea turtles caught accidentally or as by-catch. including tools for unhooking them or cutting the lines and landing nets.
TITLE IV
Article 21 

1. The use of ancillary vessels to support vessels fishing with the aid of fish-aggregating devices shall be prohibited.
2. Transhipments at sea by seiners shall be prohibited.
Article 22 

1. A fisheries administration, acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in  Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 must  determine the number of  United Kingdom  seiners authorised to fish in Area 3. The number of vessels shall be set at the number of  United Kingdom  seiners registered in the IATTC register on 28 June 2002.
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3. The lists referred to in paragraph 1 must give the United Kingdom fishing fleet register number assigned to the vessel in accordance with Annex 1 to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/218 on the Union fishing fleet register and the type of gear used.
Article 23 
Only  United Kingdom  fishing vessels operating under the conditions laid down in the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme which have been allocated a Dolphin Mortality Limit (DML) shall be authorised to encircle schools or groups of dolphins with purse seines when fishing for yellowfin tuna in Area 3.
Article 24 
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Article 25 

1. A fisheries administration must  ensure that applications for DMLs comply with the conditions laid down in the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme and the conservation measures adopted by the IATTC.
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4. A fisheries administration must send the IATTC Secretariat the breakdown of the DMLs among United Kingdom fishing vessels in its fleet by 1 February each year.
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Article 26 

1. Purse seine vessels shall promptly release unharmed, to the extent practicable, all sea turtles, sharks, skipjack tuna, billfishes, rays, dorado, and other non-target species.
2. Fishermen shall be encouraged to develop and use techniques and equipment to facilitate the rapid and safe release of any such animals.
Article 27 

1. Whenever a sea turtle is sighted in the net, all reasonable efforts shall be made to rescue the turtle before it becomes entangled in the net, including, if necessary, the deployment of a speedboat.
2. If a sea turtle is entangled in the net, net roll shall stop as soon as the turtle comes out of the water and shall not start again until the turtle has been disentangled and released.
3. If a sea turtle is brought on board a vessel, all appropriate methods to assist in the recovery of the turtle shall be made before returning it to the water.
4. Tuna-fishing vessels shall be prohibited from disposing of salt bags or any other type of plastic rubbish at sea.
5. Where possible sea turtles caught in fish-aggregating devices and other fishing gear shall be released.
6. Fish-aggregating devices which are not used for fishing shall be recovered.
TITLE V
Article 28 
A fisheries administration must  take measures to reduce to the minimum waste, discards, catches taken by lost or abandoned gear, pollution from fishing vessels, catches of fish and animals of species not targeted and repercussions for related or dependent species, in particular species threatened with extinction.
TITLE VI
Article 29 

1. The encircling with purse seines of any school or group of marine mammals shall be prohibited.
2. Paragraph 1 shall apply to all  United Kingdom  fishing vessels with the exception of the vessels referred to in Article 23.
TITLE VII
Article 30 
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Article 31 
Regulation (EC) No 973/2001 is hereby repealed.
Article 32 
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This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
ANNEX I


— Albacore: Thunnus alalunga
— Bluefin tuna: Thunnus thynnus
— Bigeye tuna: Thunnus obesus
— Skipjack tuna: Katsuwonus pelamis
— Atlantic bonito: Sarda sarda
— Yellowfin tuna: Thunnus albacares
— Blackfin tuna: Thunnus atlanticus
— Little tuna: Euthynnus spp.
— Southern bluefin tuna: Thunnus maccoyii
— Frigate tuna: Auxis spp.
— Oceanic sea breams: Bramidae
— Marlins: Tetrapturus spp.; Makaira spp.
— Sailfish: Istiophorus spp.
— Swordfish: Xiphias gladius
— Sauries: Scomberesox spp.; Cololabis spp.
— Dolphinfish; common dolphinfish: Coryphaena hippurus; Coryphaena equiselis
— Sharks: Hexanchus griseus; Cetorhinus maximus; Alopiidae Rhincodon typus; Carcharhinide; Sphyrnidae; Isuridae; Lamnidae
— Cetaceans (whales and porpoises): Physeteridae; Balenidae; Eschrichtiidae; Monodontidae; Ziphiidae; Delphinidae

ANNEX II

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ANNEX III

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ANNEX IV

