Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998)RegulationsRegulations in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998Chapter 4 : Use of GearPart 2 : Trawl Fishing15. Attachment to trawl nets |
| (1) | Subject to subregulation (2), no person shall attach any canvas, netting or other material to the cod-end of a trawlnet. |
| (2) | Notwithstanding subregulation (1)— |
| (a) | a piece of net, known as a bottom-side chafer, may be attached to the underside of the cod-end of a trawlnet in order to reduce wear and tear Provided that such a piece of net is attached to the underside and side edges of the cod-end only; and |
| (b) | it is permissible to use a so-called Polish topside chafer being a rectangular piece of netting attached to the rear portion of the upper side of the cod-end. Provided that such netting— |
| (i) | is of the same twine material and size as that of the cod-end; |
| (ii) | has a mesh size at least double that of the cod-end; and |
| (iii) | is fastened to the end and along the forward, lateral and rear edges of the cod-end in such a way as to ensure that the meshes of the netting exactly overlap the meshes of the cod-end; and |
| (c) | not more than one flapper being a piece of netting fastened inside a trawl in such a way that it allows fish to pass from the front to the rear of the trawl but limiting their possibility of return, may be used: Provided that— |
| (i) | the flapper shall be fastened mesh by mesh across the upper half and to the inside of the cod-end; |
| (ii) | the mesh size of the flapper shall not be less than the mesh size of the cod-end and |
| (iii) | the distance between the point where the flapper is fastened and the codline shall be at least three times the length of the flapper, but not less than 8 metres. |
| (3) | Subject to subregulation (4), no person shall use any round straps on a trawlnet unless |
| (a) | the distance separating two successive round straps is at least one metre; |
| (b) | the round straps are fastened across the outside of the cod-end of the net in at least two places; and |
| (c) | the total length of any round strap is not less than 50 percent of the circumference of the cod-end, measured at the point where the round strap is fastened to the cod-end, the circumference being determined by measuring a length of at least ten stretched meshes in the direction of the circumference and from the knot-centre of the first mesh being measured to the knot-centre of the last mesh being measured, dividing the result thus obtained by the number of meshes measured and multiplying the figure obtained by the total number of continuous meshes counted in the circumference. |
| (4) | Notwithstanding the provisions of subregulation (3), a single round strap ("back strap") of a length shorter than 50 percent of the circumference of the cod-end may be used on a trawl net if it is attached to the net not more than 700 mm from the position where the codline is fastened, measured when the meshes are stretched lengthwise. |