The Commission indeed received a UK request in July for an emergency closure of the bass fishery using pelagic pair trawls in the Western Channel, on the grounds that current levels of by-catch may constitute a threat to the common dolphin population.

([82]) Bottom trawling is a fishing method that employs a large cone-shaped net that is dragged behind a boat along the sea floor.

By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, the use of purse seines, boat seines or similar nets, whose overall drop and behaviour in fishing operations mean that the purse-line, the lead-line or the hauling ropes do not touch the seagrass bed, may be authorised within management plans provided for under either Articles 18 or 19 of this Regulation.

The EU has taken considerable management action with regard to sharks, for example the improvement of data collection for large pelagic shark species, the establishment of catch limits for certain shark species, skates and rays in the North Sea, deepwater sharks in the north-east Atlantic, prohibiting trawl fisheries within littoral areas in the Mediterranean, banning the use of driftnets that may catch large pelagic sharks, prohibiting shark finning and establishing specific conditions under which only the removal of fins of sharks may be authorised – which is what we are discussing today – and the control and limitation of fishing capa ...[+++]city.

Hon. Geoff Regan (Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, in fact over the past three years in the NAFO regulatory area there were no Canadian vessels using the kind of gear that was displayed yesterday on the Hill by the group that was here.

- Tuna seiners: 1 seaman/vessel- Pole-and-line tuna vessels: 3 seamen/vessel - Pelagic freezer trawlers:- Crew -30: 4 seamen- Crew +30: 5 seamen(including the observer)