1. In cases where inclusion in the statistics of a particular sector of aquaculture activities would cause difficulties to the national authorities not commensurate with the importance of that sector, a derogation may be granted in accordance with the management procedure referred to in Article 10(2). Such derogation shall permit a Member State to exclude data covering that sector from the national data submitted or to employ estimation methods used to provide data for more than 10 % of the total production.
2. Member States shall support any request for derogations, which must be made prior to the deadline for the first submission of the data, by sending the Commission a report on problems encountered in applying this Regulation.
3. Should a change in the situation for collecting the data create unforeseen difficulties for the national authorities, a duly justified request for a derogation may be submitted by the Member States after the deadline for the first submission of the data.