Establishment of a pilot project on satellite tracking in the NAFO regulatory area

- OBJECTIVE: establishment of a pilot project on satellite tracking of Community vessels aimed at enhancing the monitoring of fishing activities of fishermen operating in the NAFO Regulatory Area. - COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Regulation 3070/95/EC on the establishment of a pilot project on satellite tracking in the NAFO Regulatory Area. - SUBSTANCE: With the objective of improving control and enforcement in the NAFO Regulatory Area, and in the framework of the Agreement on Fisheries with Canada concluded on 20.04.1995, the Member States shall ensure that satellite tracking devices are installed on at least 35% of their fishing vessels operating in this area from 01.01.1996 to 31.12.1997. They shall designate a competent national authority responsible for receiving the information transmitted by the vessels and capable of computerizing such information. Member States are also to cooperate in order to ensure that at least 35% of their vessels are equipped with satellite-tracking devices. They shall inform the Commission of any such agreements reached. The main aims of the pilot project are: . the automatic hourly transmission of the position of Community vessels operating in the area concerned, with a position error which must be less than 500 metres, . the communication of this information to a competent authority of the flag Member State, appointed by each Member State, and to the Commission, at its request. The Commission is to be kept informed of the number of vessels concerned, their technical description and the technical characteristics of the equipment used. The Commission will cover the costs of the pilot project, under Council Decision 95/527/EC on the Community financial contribution towards expenditure incurred by Member States in implementing the monitoring systems applicable to the common fisheries policy. On the basis of the information collected, the Commission will prepare a report which it will submit to NAFO so that this body can examine the effectiveness of the pilot scheme at its Annual Meeting to be held in September 1997. - ENTRY INTO FORCE: 01.01.1996. �