Verification and sampling plan
Article 62
1. For the purpose of verifying the engine power in accordance with Article 41 of the Control Regulation, Member States shall establish a sampling plan for the identification of those fishing vessels or groups of fishing vessels in their fleet with a risk of under-declaration of propulsion engine power. As a minimum, the sampling plan shall be based on following high risk criteria: (a) fishing vessels operating in fisheries that are subject to fishing effort regimes, in particular those fishing vessels to which an individual effort allocation in kW * days has been allocated; (b) fishing vessels subject to limitations of vessel power resulting from national or European Union law; (c) fishing vessels for which the ratio of vessel power (kW) to vessel tonnage (GT) is 50 % lower than the average ratio for the same type of fishing vessel, gear type and target species. For the purpose of that analysis, Member States may divide the fleet according to one or several of the following criteria: (i) fleet segmentation or management units defined in national law; (ii) length categories; (iii) tonnage categories; (iv) gears used; (v) target species. 2. Member States may consider additional risk criteria following their own assessment. 3. Member States shall draw a list of their fishing vessels which meet one or more of the risk criteria referred to in paragraph 1 and, where appropriate, the risk criteria referred to in paragraph 2. 4. From each group of fishing vessels corresponding to one of the risk criteria referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, Member States shall take a random sample of fishing vessels. The size of the sample shall be equal to the square root rounded to the nearest whole number of fishing vessels in the group concerned. 5. For each fishing vessel included in the random sample, Member States shall verify all technical documents as referred to in Article 41(1) of the Control Regulation in their possession. Among the other documents as referred to under letter (g) of Article 41(1) of the Control Regulation, Member States shall pay special attention to the engine maker catalogue specifications, where available. 6. This Article shall apply as from 1 January 2012. Physical verifications as referred to in Article 41(2) of the Control Regulation shall prioritise trawlers operating in a fishery subject to a fishing effort regime.