Scope
Article 2
1. This Regulation applies to all commercial fishing and aquaculture activities, as well as to recreational fishing activities where specifically provided for in this Regulation, conducted by Union fishing vessels and nationals of Member States in the GFCM Agreement area. It shall apply without prejudice to Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 ( 11 ) . 2. By way of derogation from paragraph 1, this Regulation shall not apply to fishing operations conducted solely for the purpose of scientific investigations which are carried out with the permission and under the authority of the Member State whose flag the vessel is flying and of which the Commission and the Member States in whose waters the research is carried out have been informed in advance, unless specified otherwise in this Regulation. Member States conducting fishing operations for the purpose of scientific investigations shall inform the Commission, the Member States in whose waters the research is carried out and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries of all catches from such fishing operations.