COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0M(91) 537 final 
Brussels, 13 December 1991 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
adopting provisions for the application of certain control oeasxxres 
adopted by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization 
(presented by the Commission) 
5fE» = J 
I. 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
In the interests of improving the control of fishing activities in its 
Regulatory Area the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) has 
adopted a proposal for the introduction of a control measure making it a 
requirement for fishing vessels of Contracting Parties to communicate to the 
Commission of the European Communities their entry into and exit from the NAFO 
Regulatory Area as well as any movements between divisions. 
The Commission of the European Communities is required to transmit the 
information, which they receive from the fishing vessels to the Executive 
Secretary of NAFO. This control measure is commonly referred to as a "hail 
system". 
The purpose of this proposed regulation is to apply the "hail system" as 
adopted by the NAFO Fisheries Commission, at the 13th Annual NAFO Meeting, 
held in Dartmouth, Canada, on 13 September 1991, in the Community, and to make 
certain other necessary related provisions. 
In June 1991, the Commission submitted a proposal on a Council Regulation 
incorporating a "hail system" which was to be utilized to monitor the movement 
of fishing vessels in the Regulatory Area of NAFO. At its meeting of 16 July 
1991, the Council requested the Commission to reach agreement on certain 
modifications to the proposed "hail system". At the 13th Annual NAFO meeting, 
the Commission obtained these modifications. The proposal for a Council 
Regulation annexed hereto replaces the original proposal submitted to the 
Council in July 1991. 
PROPOSAL 
for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No of 
adopting provisions for the application of certain control measures 
adopted by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 170/83 of 25 January 1983 
establishing a Community system for the conservation and management of 
fishery resources I *), and in particular Article 11 thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas the Convention on Future Multilateral Co-operation in the Northwest 
Atlantic Fisheries, hereinafter referred to as the NAFO Convention, was 
approved by the Council by Regulation (EEC) No 3179/78(2) and entered into 
force on 1 January 1979; 
Whereas the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) established by 
the NAFO Convention adopted a Scheme of Joint International Inspection which 
was adopted by the Council in Regulation (EEC) No 1956/88, as amended(3); 
Whereas the NAFO Fisheries Commission, at its 13tn Annual Meeting held in 
Dartmouth on 13 September 1991, adopted a proposal for the establishment of a 
control measure, requiring fishing vessels to communicate certain information 
regarding their activities in the NAFO Regulatory Area; whereas this proposal 
is acceptable to the Community; 
(1) O.J. No L 24 of 27.01.1983, p. 1 
(2) O.J. No L 378 of 30.12.1978, p. 1 
(3) O.J. No L 175 of 06.07.1988, p. 1 
•/ 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
Vessels flying the flag of a Member State of the Community to which the NAFO 
Scheme of Joint International Inspection and Surveillance applies shall 
transmit to the Commission of the European Communities, in accordance with 
the rules laid down in the Annex, the information set out therein. 
Article 2 
Within 24 hours of receipt of the reports, whenever possible, the Commission 
shall transmit the information contained therein to the Executive Secretary 
of NAFO and to the Member States whose flag the vessels concerned are flying. 
Article 3 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the third day following its 
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in 
all Member States. 
For the Council 
ANNEX 
1. The conwunications described below shall be entitled "NAFO REPORT". The information to be 
transmitted, which shall be presented in the form specified, is as follows: 
1.1 Each entry of the vessel into the Regulatory Area. This report shall be made at least six hours 
in advance of the vessel's entry and shall contain the following particulars in the following 
order: 
Name of vessel. 
Call sign. 
External identification letters and numbers. 
The date, the time and geographical position, 
Indication of the message code: "ENTRY", 
The NAFO division into which the vessel is about to enter. 
The name of the master. 
1.2 Each movement from one NAFO division to another NAFO division except when moving between 
divisions 3L and 3N, and 3N and 3.0 under the conditions provided for in 1.3 below, and each 
movement from the delimited zone of 10 miles either side of the lines separating divisions 3L and 
3N and 3N and 3.0 when the conditions set out in 1.3 no longer apply. These reports shall be 
made prior to the vessel's entry into a NAFO division and shall contain the following particulars 
in the following order: 
Name of vessel, 
Call sign. 
External identification letters and numbers. 
The date, the time and geographical position. 
Indication of the message code: "HOVE", 
The NAFO division into which the vessel is about to enter. 
The name of the master. 
1.3 Vessels conducting trans-zonal fishery between NAFO divisions 3L and 3N or between divisions 3N 
and 3.0 which cross the line separating these divisions more than once during a period of 24 
consecutive hours, and provided that they remain within the delimited zone (of 10 miles either 
side of the line between the divisions) shall report when first crossing the line between the 
divisions and at intervals not exceeding 24 hours thereafter (while remaining in the delimited 
zone), the following particulars in the following order: 
Name of vessel. 
Call sign. 
External identification letters and numbers. 
The date, the time and geographical position. 
Indication of the message code: "ZONE", 
The name of the master. 
1.4 Each exit from the Regulatory Area. These reports shall be made prior to the vessel's exit from 
the Regulatory Area and shall contain the following particulars in the following order: 
Name of vessel. 
Call sign. 
External identification letters and numbers. 
The date, the time and geographical position. 
Indication of the message code: "EXIT", 
The NAFO division from which the vessel is about to leave, 
The name of the master. 
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2. Without prejudice to the provisions set down in Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2807/83 laying down 
detailed rules for recording information on Member States catches of fish*1*, after each radio 
transmission of the information described in 1 above the following details are to be immediately 
entered in the logbook: 
Date and time of the transmission. 
In the case of radio transmissions, the name of the radio station through which the 
transmission was made. 
3.1 The information specified under point 1 shall be transmitted to the Commission of the European 
Communities in Brussels (telex 24189 FISEU-B). 
3.2 If it is impossible for reasons of force majeure for the message to be transmitted by the vessel, 
it may be transmitted on the vessel's behalf by another vessel. 
(1) O.J. L 276 of 10.10.1983, p. 1 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM (91) 537 final 
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