Bottom fisheries
Article 75
1. Member States shall limit bottom fishing effort or catch in the SPFO area to the average annual levels over the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2006 in terms of the number of fishing vessels and other parameters that reflect the level of catch, fishing effort, and fishing capacity. 2. Member States shall not expand bottom fishing activities into new regions of the SPFO area where such fishing is not currently occurring. 3. Community vessels shall cease bottom fishing activities within five nautical miles of any site in the SPFO area where, in the course of fishing operations, evidence of vulnerable marine ecosystems is encountered. Community vessels shall report the encounter, including the location, and the type of ecosystem in question, to the authorities of the of their flag State, to the Commission and to the SPFO Interim Secretariat so that appropriate measures can be adopted in respect of the relevant site. 4. Member States shall appoint observers to each vessel flying their flag and undertaking or proposing to undertake bottom trawling activities in the SPFO area and ensure an appropriate level of observer coverage on vessels flying their flag and undertaking other bottom fishing activities in the SPFO area.