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

The European Parliament approved this proposal for a regulation under Rule 143 of its Rules of Procedure (without debate). -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 (EC) No 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 April 1995, Member States must ensure that satellite tracking devices are installed on at least 35% of their fishing vessels operating in this area from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1997. They shall designate a competent national authority responsible for receiving the information transmitted by the vessels and capable of computerizing such information. The Member States are also committed to cooperate in order to ensure that at least 35% of their vessels are equipped with satellite-tracking devices. They will inform the Commission of any such agreements reached. The main aims of the pilot project are: . the automatic transmission, on an hourly basis, of data relating to the position of Community vessels operating in the area concerned, with a position error which must be less than 500 metres, . the communication of such information to the competent authority of the flag Member State, appointed by each Member State, and to the Commission at its request. The Commission will be kept informed of the number of vessels concerned, their technical description, and the technical characteristics of the equipment and installations. The Community will cover the costs of the pilot project scheme under Council Decision 95/527/EC on a Community financial contribution towards expenditure incurred by the Member States implementing the monitoring and control 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 in time for its consideration at the NAFO Annual Meeting of September 1997. -ENTRY INTO FORCE : 1 January 1996. �