Participation in exploratory fisheries
Article 46
1. Fishing vessels flying the flag of and registered in Spain that have been notified to CCAMLR in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 601/2004 may participate in long-line exploratory fisheries for Dissostichus spp. in Sub-area FAO 88.1, and in Divisions 58.4.1, 58.4.2, 58.4.3a) outside Areas of national jurisdiction and 58.4.3b) outside Areas of national jurisdiction. 2. No more than one fishing vessel shall fish in Divisions 58.4.3a) and 58.4.3b) at any one time. 3. With regard to Sub-area 88.1 and Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2, total catch and by-catch limits per Sub-area and Division, and their distribution among Small Scale Research Units (SSRUs) within each of them are set out in Annex XV. Fishing in any SSRU shall cease when the reported catch reaches the specified catch limit and that SSRU shall be closed to fishing for the remainder of the season. 4. Fishing shall take place over as large a geographical and bathymetric range as possible to obtain the information necessary to determine fishery potential and to avoid over-concentration of catch and fishing effort. However, fishing in Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2 will be prohibited in depths less than 550 m.