Agreement Concerning Measures for the Protection of the Stocks of Deep-Sea Prawns (Pandalus borealis), European Lobsters (Homarus vulgaris), Norway Lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) and Crabs (Cancer pagarus), Oslo, 1952

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[TRANSLATION]

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF NORWAY, DENMARK AND SWEDEN CONCERNING MEASURES FOR THE PROTECTION OF STOCKS OF DEEP-SEA PRAWNS (PANDALUS BOREALIS), EUROPEAN LOBSTERS (HOMARUS VULGARIS), NORWAY LOBSTERS (NEPHROPS NORVEGICUS) AND CRABS (CANCER PAGURUS)

The Governments of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, being desirous of concluding an agreement relating to measures for the protection of stocks of deep-sea prawns (Pandalus borealis), European lobsters (Homarus vulgaris), Norway lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) and crabs (Cancer Pagurus), have agreed as follows:

Article 1

The area to which this Agreement applies shall include all waters bounded on the west by a line from Lindesnes light to Hanstholm light and on the east by the 13th meridian east of Greenwich.

Article 2

No vessel may use or have on board any prawn trawl which does not comply with the provisions of article 3 of this Agreement.

Article 3

The minimum size of the mesh of a prawn trawl shall be such that a flat measure 30 mm. wide and 2 mm. thick can be easily passed between the meshes when the trawl is wet and spread out lengthwise.

Article 4

No vessel shall keep on board any Norway lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) under 15 cm. in length measured from the tip of the frontal horn to the anterior fixed side of the middle swimming appendage.

Article 5

The provisions of this Agreement shall not apply to fishery research conducted by, or with the consent of, the public authorities.

Article 6

The Contracting Governments agree to take such action and make such regulations as are necessary to give effect to the provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions which prohibit the landing or selling in their territories of Norway lobsters under the prescribed minimum.

Article 7

A commission shall be set up consisting of two representatives (one representative for scientific research in fishing and one for the fishing industry) from each of the Contracting Parties. The purpose of the commission shall be to attempt to co-ordinate the scientific and practical research conducted by the various countries with regard to stocks of prawns, European lobsters, Norway lobsters and crabs in the area to which the Agreement applies. The commission shall also, on the basis of available information, consider whether there are grounds for modifying existing measures for the protection of stocks of the aforementioned shell-fish or for introducing other measures, and, as the circumstances require, shall make appropriate recommendations to the Contracting Governments. The commission shall itself determine its procedure and when it shall meet. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the Norwegian Government.

Article 8

This Agreement shall be ratified and shall come into force two months after the instruments of ratification are deposited with the Norwegian Government, which shall inform the Contracting Governments of the deposit of the ratifications and of the date on which the Agreement is to come into force.

Article 9

After three years from its coming into force, this Agreement may be denounced by a notice in writing addressed to the Norwegian Government. The denunciation shall take effect in respect of the Government concerned six months after the date of receipt. Notice of the denunciation shall be given to all the Contracting Parties by the Norwegian Government.

DONE at Oslo on 7 March 1952 in one copy which shall be deposited with the Norwegian Government. The latter shall send certified copies to the Danish and the Swedish Governments.