S.L. 234.36 Art. 4General requirements.

(1) The provisions of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol shall apply to Maltese fishing vessels, unless Annex I Adaptation of provisons of the Annex to the Torrermolinos Protocol for application of Article (1) of Council Directive 97/70/ EC to Council Directive 97/70/EC provides otherwise.

(2) Those requirements in Chapters IV, V, VII and IX of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol, that apply to vessels of 45 metres in length and over, shall also apply to new Maltese fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over, unless Annex II Adaptation of provisons of Chapters IV, V, VII and IX of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol, in accordance with Article 3(4) of the latter, for application to new fishing vessels with a length of 24 metres and over to Council Directive 97/70/EC provides otherwise:

Provided that Maltese fishing vessels operating in specific areas shall comply with the provisions for those areas, as defined in Annex III Regional and local provisions (Articles 3(3) and 4(1)) to Council Directive 97/70/EC.

(3) Maltese fishing vessels shall comply with the specific safety requirements laid down in Annex IV Specific safety requirements (Article 3(4)) to Council Directive 97/70/EC.

(4) No fishing vessel shall operate in the internal or territorial waters of Malta or land their catch in Malta unless it is certified by the flag State administration that it complies with the requirements referred to in sub-rules (1), (2) and (3) and in rule 5.

(5) Marine equipment listed in Annex A.1 to Council Directive 96/98/EC and complying with the said Annex, when placed on board a fishing vessel to comply with these rules, shall be automatically considered to be in conformity with these rules, whether or not these rules require that the equipment must be approved and subjected to tests to the satisfaction of the administration of the flag State.