The rearmost part of the cod-end is either composed by a single folded panel or by transversally lacing together, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the net, the rearmost upper and lower panels.

Member States concerned shall establish a monitoring plan and report to the Commission every three years from the entry into force of this Regulation on the status of the seagrass beds of Posidonia oceanica affected by bottom towed nets activities and the list of fishing vessels authorised.

‘transversal lacing rope’ means any external or internal rope running transversally, with respect to the longitudinal axis of the net, in the rearmost part of the cod-end either along the join between two upper and lower panels or along the bend of the single rearmost panel.

Common monitoring and reporting tasks also need to be set.To enable regular evaluation at Community level and thorough assessment in the medium term to take place, the Member States should report annually on the use of pingers and the implementation of the on-board observer programmes and include all information collected on the incidental capture and killing of cetaceans in fisheries.The risk created by driftnet fishing to the critically endangered population of harbour porpoise in the Baltic Sea area requires the use of driftnets in this area to be stopped.

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - Cetacean incidental catches in Fisheries : report on the implementation of certain provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 812/2004 and on a scientific assessment of the effects of using in particular gillnets, trammel nets and entangling nets on cetaceans in the Baltic Sea as requested through Council Regulation (EC) No 2187/2005 [COM(2009) 368 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

1. By way of derogation from Article 8, it shall be permitted to deploy gillnets with a mesh size equal to or greater than 120 mm and less than 150 mm north of 48°N or with a mesh size equal to or greater than 100 mm and less than 130 mm south of 48°N, in waters of less than 600 metres charted depth, provided that they are no more than 100 meshes deep, have a hanging ratio of not less than 0.5, and are rigged with floats or equivalent floatation.