quarter mile from the cable vessel. Any nets and other fishing gear shall be kept at the same distance. Fishing vessels shall, however, be given 12 hours to remove fishing gear which has been laid at sea. Should a marker have been set due to the laying or repairing of a submarine cable, vessels shall make sure they and their fishing gear are no less than one-quarter mile from the marker. If a vessel has been forced to jettison an anchor or sacrifice nets or other fishing gear in order to avoid damaging a submarine cable, it may claim damages from the owner of the underwater cable, provided the threat was not caused by the negligence of the vessel's officers. If possible, the crew shall immediately enter in the log a report of the damages, which the master of the vessel shall confirm. In addition, the owner of the submarine cable or representative of the owner shall be notified of the incident as soon as possible. CHAPTER XV Electronic communications in times of crisis Article 72 Suspension of electronic communications In times of hostilities the Minister of Communications may, in accordance with a decision by the national government, prescribe the closure of electronic communications regarded as a threat to national security. In emergencies, such as during volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, avalanches, etc. the Minister of Communications may, at the request of the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police and after consulting with the Iceland Civil Defence Council, prescribe restrictions on electronic communications which can interfere with emergency and security electronic communications. In the same manner instruction may be given that a specified electronic communications facility shall be taken into the service of rescue operations and new electronic communications facilities installed. Any compensation shall be paid for according to an assessment by PTA, from the National Treasury. CHAPTER XVI Penalties, etc. Article 73 Authorisation to suspend operations Electronic communications undertakings which operate an electronic communications network or services in accordance with a general authorisation or which hold rights to use frequencies and numbers must, at the request of PTA, deliver to the Administration information, as provided for under the Act on the Post and Telecom Administration, which is necessary in order to ascertain that the requirements of general authorisation or special obligations, cf. the fifth paragraph of Article 6, are fulfilled. Should PTA reach the conclusion that an electronic communications undertaking is not complying with the requirements of general authorisations, conditions connected to rights or special obligations, it must notify the electronic communications undertaking of this conclusion and give the undertaking an 31/34