CAB129-36 — Page 325

Article V

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1. Each Contracting Government may set up an Advisory Committee composed of persons, including fishermen, vessel owners and others, well informed concerning the problems of the fisheries of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. With the assent of the Contracting Government concerned, a repre- sentative or representatives of an Advisory Committee may attend as observers all non-executive meetings of the Commission or of any Panel in which their Government participates.

2. The Commissioners of each Contracting Government may hold public hearings within the territories they represent.

ARTICLE VI

1. The Commission shall be responsible in the field of scientific investi- gation for obtaining and collating the information necessary for maintaining. those stocks of fish which support international fisheries in the Convention area and the Commission may, through or in collaboration with agencies of the Contracting Governments or other public or private agencies and organisa- tions or, when necessary, independently--

(a) make such investigations as it finds necessary into the abundance, life history and ecology of any species of aquatic life in any part of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean;

(b) collect and analyse statistical information relating to the current con- ditions and trends of the fishery resources of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean;

(c) study and appraise information concerning the methods for maintaining

and increasing stocks of fish in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean; (d) hold or arrange such hearings as may be useful or essential in connection with the development of complete factual information necessary to carry out the provisions of this Convention;

(e) conduct fishing operations in the Convention area at any time for

purposes of scientific investigation;

(f) publish and otherwise disseminate reports of its findings and statistical, scientific and other information relating to the fisheries of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean as well as such other reports as fall within the scope of this Convention.

2. Upon the unanimous recommendation of each Panel affected, the Commission may alter the boundaries of the sub-areas set out in the Annex. Any such alteration shall forthwith be reported to the Depository Government, which shall inform the Contracting Governments, and the sub-areas defined in the Annex shall be altered accordingly.

3.

The Contracting Governments shall furnish to the Commission, at such time and in such form as may be required by the Commission, the statistical information referred to in paragraph 1 (b) of this Article.

ARTICLE VII

1. Each Panel established under Article IV shall be responsible for keeping under review the fisheries of its sub-area and the scientific and other information relating thereto.

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2. Each Panel, upon the basis of scientific investigations, may make recommendations to the Commission for joint action by the Contracting Governmentgothers specified in paragraph 1 particle VIE62

3. Each Panel may recommend to the Commission studies and investiga- tions within the scope of this Convention which are deemed necessary in the development of factual information relating to its particular sub-area.

4. Any Panel may make recommendations to the Commission for the alteration of the boundaries of the sub-areas defined in the Annex.

5. Each Panel shall investigate and report to the Commission upon any matter referred to it by the Commission.

6. A Panel shall not incur any expenditure except in accordance with directions given by the Commission.

ARTICLE VIII

1. The Commission may, on the recommendations of one or more Panels, and on the basis of scientific investigations, transmit to the Depository Government proposals for joint action by the Contracting Governments designed to keep the stocks of those species of fish which support international fisheries in the Convention area at a level permitting the maximum sustained catch by the application, with respect to such species of fish, of one or more of the following measures: ---

(a) establishing open and closed seasons;

(b) closing to fishing such portions of a sub-area as the Panel concerned finds to be a spawning area or to be populated by small or immature fish;

(c) establishing size limits for any species;

(d) prescribing the fishing gear and appliances the use of which is pro-

hibited;

(e) prescribing an over-all catch limit for any species of fish.

2.

Each recommendation shall be studied by the Commission and there- after the Commission shall either-

(a) transmit the recommendation as a proposal to the Depository Govern- ment with such modifications or suggestions as the Commission may consider desirable, or

(b) refer the recommendation back to the Panel with comments for its

reconsideration.

3. The Panel may, after reconsidering the recommendation returned to it by the Commission, reaffirm that recommendation, with or without modi- fication.

4. If, after a recommendation is reaffirmed, the Commission is unable to adopt the recommendation as a proposal, it shall send a copy of the recom- mendation to the Depository Government with a report of the Commission's decision. The Depository Government shall transmit copies of the recom- mendation and of the Commission's report to the Contracting Governments.

5. The Commission may, after consultation with all the Panels, transmit proposals to the Depository Government within the scope of paragraph 1 of this Article affecting the Convention area as a whole.

6. The Depository Government shall transmit any proposal received by it to the Contracting Governments for their consideration and may make such suggestions as will facilitate acceptance of the proposal.