Selection of meshes in active gear
1. The inspector shall select a series of 20 consecutive meshes from the net, chosen in the following direction:
(a)
for diamond and square meshes, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the net;
(b)
for T90 meshes, perpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the net.
2. Meshes less than three meshes from the selvedge, lacings, ropes or cod line shall not be measured. That distance shall be measured perpendicular to the lacings, ropes or cod line with the net stretched in the direction of that measurement. Meshes which are broken or have been repaired or have attachments to the net fixed at that mesh shall not be measured.
3. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, the meshes to be measured need not to be consecutive if the application of paragraph 2 prevents it.
Selection of meshes in passive gear
1. The inspector shall select 20 meshes from the fishing net. In the case of different mesh sizes in the fishing net, the meshes shall be selected from the part of the fishing net having the smallest meshes.
2. When selecting meshes in accordance with paragraph 1, the following meshes shall not be included:
(a)
meshes at the top, bottom or side of a net selvedge;
(b)
meshes within three meshes of lacings and ropes;
(c)
meshes that have been broken or have been repaired.
General provisions on the preparation and operation of mesh gauges
The mesh gauge shall be:
(a)
prepared in accordance with Annex VI;
(b)
operated in accordance with Annex VII.
Operation of the mesh gauge for measuring diamond and T90 meshes
When measuring diamond and T90 meshes in:
(a)
knotted and knotless netting when the N-direction can be determined, the netting shall be stretched in the N-direction of the meshes, as shown in Annex VII;
(b)
knotless netting when the N-direction cannot be determined, the longest axis of the mesh shall be measured.
Operation of the mesh gauge for measuring square meshes
1. When measuring a square mesh panel, the netting shall be stretched first in one diagonal direction and then in the other diagonal direction of the mesh, as shown in Annex VIII.
2. The procedure laid down in Annex VI shall apply to the measurement of each diagonal direction of the square mesh.
Measurement conditions
Meshes shall be measured only when wet and unfrozen.
Measurement of the size of each selected mesh
1. The size of each mesh shall be the distance between the outside edges of the jaws of the gauge at the point where the movable jaw is stopped.
2. Where there is a difference in measurement between the diagonals of an individual square mesh, then the larger diagonal shall be used.
Determination of the mesh size of the net
The mesh size of the net shall be determined as the mean value, displayed by the gauge, of the series of 20 selected meshes.
Determination of the mesh size in case of disputes
1. If the master of a fishing vessel disputes the result of the determination of the mesh size carried out in accordance with Article 13, 20 meshes shall be selected and measured in another part of the fishing net in accordance with Articles 6 to 12.
2. The mesh size shall then be redetermined as the mean value, displayed by the gauge, of all 40 meshes measured. The displayed result of the gauge shall be final.
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), © European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
