Fisheries (Fishing Vessels) Rules

The owner of a fishing vessel shall apply for a licence to the Director-General who may issue a licence subject to such conditions as he may think fit to impose.

Such applicant shall —

On a change of ownership of vessel, the new owner shall submit an application to the Director-General for the issue of a new licence, together with any documentary or other evidence of the transfer of the vessel from the previous owner.

No alteration or amendment whatsoever shall be made on any licence issued under these Rules except by the Director-General.

If any particulars on a licence become illegible or any photograph affixed thereto becomes defaced, the owner or the master of the vessel shall apply immediately to the Director-General for the issue of a replacement licence or for such particulars as have become illegible to be re-entered or endorsed thereon or for a new photograph to be affixed thereto, as the case may be.

In determining whether to issue or refuse to issue a licence, the Director-General may consider the fitness of the fishing vessel for its intended use.

For the purpose of paragraph (1), the Director-General may —

Upon the issue of a licence, the Director-General shall assign a number to the fishing vessel.

The number of —

The owner of every fishing vessel shall cause the number assigned by the Director-General to be carved out and painted on the boat in the manner set out in the Second Schedule or as may be directed by the Director-General.

The owner of such fishing vessel shall then furnish two copies of a photograph of the vessel showing its broadside with the number carved and painted on the outside of the forward end of the vessel, one copy of which shall be affixed to the licence and the other in the register of licences.

No number or part thereof shall be obscured or rendered or allowed to become indistinguishable.

The Director-General may if he thinks fit allow a change of number of any fishing vessel on the application of the owner of the vessel.

The Director-General shall maintain a register of licences in which the following particulars of fishing vessels licensed under these Rules shall be entered:

The owner or the master of a fishing vessel shall notify the Director-General of any change in the particulars appearing in the register of licences.

The owner of every fishing vessel shall maintain a crew book of a type approved by the Director-General in which the names, addresses, grades and certificate numbers and identity card numbers of all members of the crew shall be entered and to which their photographs shall be affixed.

Such crew book shall be carried in the fishing vessel and produced for inspection on demand by any authorised officer.

The owner or the master of any fishing vessel shall report any change in the crew of the vessel to any authorised officer.

No amendment or alteration of any particulars appearing in the crew book shall be made nor shall any photograph affixed thereto be removed or substituted by another photograph except by the Director-General.

If any particulars of the crew in the crew book become illegible or any photograph affixed thereto becomes defaced, the owner or the master of the vessel shall apply immediately to the Director-General for such particulars as have become illegible to be re-entered or endorsed thereon, or for a new photograph to be affixed thereto, as the case may be, or, if so required by the Director-General, supply a new crew book.

The fee for the issue of a crew book shall be as set out in the First Schedule.

The owner or the master of any fishing vessel shall report to an authorised officer any breaking-up, loss or damage of the vessel within 24 hours of its occurrence and any collision, accident or other incident causing such breaking-up, loss or damage.

The licence and the crew book in respect of such vessel shall forthwith be surrendered to the Director-General who may cause an inspection to be made of the vessel.

After such inspection, the Director-General may, if he thinks fit, impose any additional condition which shall be endorsed on the licence or revoke the licence.

Where an authorised officer has reason to suspect —

The owner, the master or any other member of the crew shall, if required by the authorised officer, furnish any information or produce the licence, the crew book or any log-book or other document on board the vessel or in the possession or control of the owner, the master or any other member of the crew.

The authorised officer may take copies of the licence, the crew book or any log-book or other document produced to him for inspection and question the owner, the master or any other member of the crew on any particulars set out in the licence, crew book, log-book or document.

A person must not be employed or engaged to work in any capacity on board any fishing vessel that is assigned an identification number with the prefix letters “SF” or “SMF” (called in this rule a relevant fishing vessel), unless the person is registered to work on board that relevant fishing vessel under these Rules.

A person who desires to work in any capacity on board a relevant fishing vessel must apply to the Director-General to be registered to work on board that relevant fishing vessel.

An application for or to renew a registration under paragraph (2) (called in these Rules a worker registration) must —

The Director-General may refuse to consider an application for or to renew a worker registration that is —

After considering an application for or to renew a worker registration, the Director-General may —

A worker registration granted to a person to work on board a fishing vessel that is assigned an identification number with the prefix letters “SF” is valid for the lifetime of that person.

A worker registration granted to a person to work on board a fishing vessel that is assigned an identification number with the prefix letters “SMF” —