To advise Members that a consultation is currently being held into the detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation No. 1966/2006 on the electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities, and on means of remote sensing : electronic sales notes and logbooks.

1.1 In November 2006 European Ministers agreed to the introduction of electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities for certain groups including registered buyers and sellers of first sale fish and also fishing vessels over 15 metres in overall length. They also agreed that Member State Fisheries Monitoring Centres must possess the technical capability for them to match positions derived by remote sensing with the data received from vessel monitoring systems (VMS). This decision is set down in Council Regulation 1966/2006.

1.2 The Council Regulation has no direct implication for the Joint Committee, but will change reporting methods for registered fish markets and owner/Master of certain fishing vessels.

1.3 From the 1^st January 2009 most Buyers and Sellers of first sale fish will be required to submit records of first sales by electronic means. Submission of paper copies will then cease.

1.4 Masters of fishing vessels will be required to record and submit logbooks, transhipment and landing declarations electronically from the following dates:

1.5 Vessel monitoring system (VMS) data is already provided electronically to FPV ‘Aegis’, and data deriving from inspections completed by our Fishery Officers is passed directly back to M&FA HQ in London.

1.6 Our Fishery Orders Development Officer Bob Houghton is currently undertaking a study on methodology and equipment available for electronic data logging. This could enable Fishery Officers to electronically log inspections etc, dispensing with papers records. The additional advantages would be a reduction in office administration, aid the preparation of reports/survey results, and improve the communication of data to other agencies.

1.7 In the fullness of time and with the reorganisation of inshore fisheries management, I would envisage that Officers will have greater access to electronically stored data derived from a variety of sources. Whilst this would speed up preparation of statistics etc., robust confidentiality measures will be required to prevent any abuse of the system.