Monitoring
Article 18
1. Alien species shall be monitored after their release into open aquaculture facilities for a period of two years or a full generation cycle, whichever is longer, to assess whether the impacts were accurately predicted or if there are additional or different impacts. The level of spread or containment of the species shall be studied in particular. The competent authority shall decide whether the applicant has the adequate expertise or whether another body is to carry out the monitoring. 2. Subject to the opinion of the advisory committee, the competent authority may require longer monitoring periods to assess any possible long-term ecosystem effects not easily detectable in the period laid down in paragraph 1. 3. The advisory committee shall evaluate the results of the monitoring programme and note in particular any event not correctly anticipated in the environmental risk assessment. The results of that evaluation shall be sent to the competent authority which shall include a summary of the results in the national register established under Article 23.