Fisheries and Marine Resources (Exploratory Fishing) Regulations 2022. Government Notice no. 296 of 2022.

These Regulations, made under sections 74(1)(d) of the Fisheries and Marine Resources Act, no. 27 of 2007, provide for matters concerning the issuance of applications for exploratory fishing, intended as the activity with the purpose of assessing the sustainability and feasibility of future commercial fisheries. The Regulations concern: exploratory data, as scientific elements including gear, size and species of catch and by-catch; terms and conditions for issuing exploratory authorisation, including: the protection of the marine environment, the ban on the use of a trawl net along the sea floor, specific conditions for landing of catch and by-catch, submission of records, presence of observers on board the vessels during the exploration, the respect and protection of fish species defined in the attachment; offences and penalties in case of misconduct.