S.L. 234.36 Art. 6Surveys and certificates.

(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-rule (3) the Registrar-General or a recognised organisation duly authorised by him shall issue to Maltese fishing vessels complying with the requirements referred to in rules 4 and 5, a certificate of compliance with the requirements of these rules and of Council Directive 97/70/EC, supplemented by a record of equipment and, where appropriate, exemption certificates.

(2) The Registrar-General shall, subject to the provisions of these rules and the Torremolinos Protocol, determine the conditions of issue and validity of such certificates.

(3) The certificate of compliance, record of equipment and and exemption certificate shall be in the format laid down in Annex V Forms of Certificate of Compliance, Exemption Certificate, and Record of Equipment to Council Directive 97/70/EC or as near thereto as circumstances permit.

(4) The certificates referred to in sub-rule (1) shall be issued after an initial survey, carried out by the exclusive surveyors appointed in terms of article 367 of the Act or by the exclusive surveyors of a recognised organisation or of a Member State of the European Union authorised by the Registrar-General to carry out surveys, in accordance with Regulation 6, paragraph (1)(a) of Chapter 1 of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol.

(5) The periods of validity of the certificates referred to in sub-rule (1) shall not exceed those established in Regulation 11 of Chapter 1 of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol. A renewal of the certificate of compliance, shall be issued after periodical surveys, in accordance with Regulation 6 of Chapter 1 of the Annex to the Torremolinos Protocol, have been carried out.