Decree No. 44 regulating the constitution of consortia among enterprises engaged in bivalve mollusc fishing.

The Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Forestry Resources may, upon favourable advice of the Central Advisory Commission for Sea Fishing and the National Committee for the Conservation and Management of the Biological Resources of the Sea, for research and development purposes, grant to consortia of authorized enterprises the management of bivalve mollusc fishing. The management may be granted for a limited period of time and within the limits established by the present Decree, regarding the objectives, professional training and the enhancement of the said resource. The consortia may give advices on the total allowable catch, the equipment to be used, the closed season, the creation of repopulation areas, the criteria for the issuance of new authorizations and generally any other measure pertaining to the rational management of bivalve molluscs. The consortia have priority for the allocation of incentives.