Establishment of a closed season for the dolphinfish fisheries using fish aggregating devices
Article 26
1. In order to protect dolphinfish ( Coryphaena hippurus ), in particular small fish, dolphin fish fisheries using fish aggregating devices (FADs) shall be prohibited from 1 January 2007 to 14 August 2007, in all geographical sub-areas of the GFCM Agreement zone. 2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, if a Member State can demonstrate that, due to bad weather, the fishing vessels flying its flag were unable to utilise their normal fishing days, that Member State may carry over days lost by its vessels in FAD fisheries until 31 January of the following year. Member States wishing to benefit from this carry-over shall submit to the Commission before 1 January 2008 an application for the additional number of days on which a vessel will be authorised to fish dolphinfish by using FADs during the prohibition period from 1 January 2008 until 31 January 2008. Such an application shall be accompanied by the following information: (a) a report containing the details of the cessation of the fishing activities in question, including appropriate supporting meteorological information; (b) name of the vessel; (c) registration number; (d) external identification letters and numbers as defined in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 26/2004 of 30 December 2003 on the Community fishing fleet register ( 35 ) . The Commission shall forward the information obtained from the Member States to the GFCM Executive Secretariat. 3. Before 1 November 2007 Member States shall send the Commission a report on the implementation of the measures referred to in paragraph 1.