Fisheries Act
(Chapter 111, Section 7)
Fisheries (Fishing Vessels) Rules
R 2
G.N. No. S 57/1969

REVISED EDITION 1990
(25th March 1992)
[7th March 1969]
Citation
1.  These Rules may be cited as the Fisheries (Fishing Vessels) Rules.
Licence required
2.  No fishing vessel shall ply at any port in Singapore without a valid licence issued under these Rules.
Application and particulars
3.—(1)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(2)  Such applicant shall —
(a)give the type, dimensions and specifications of the vessel and the method of fishing for which it is intended;
(b)furnish two copies of a recent photograph of himself, one of which shall be affixed to the licence which shall at all times be kept in the vessel in the custody of the person in charge of the vessel and the other in a Register of Licences; and
(c)produce documentary or other evidence of ownership to the satisfaction of the Director-General.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(3)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(4)  No alteration or amendment whatsoever shall be made on any licence issued under these Rules except by the Director-General.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(5)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
Inspection of vessel
4.—(1)  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.
(2)  For the purpose of paragraph (1), the Director-General may —
(a)require any fishing vessel for which an application for a licence is made to be brought to any place for inspection; and
(b)cause the fishing vessel to be inspected by an authorised officer.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
Fees
5.  The fees for —
(a)a licence issued under these Rules;
(b)a replacement thereof;
(c)a certified copy of the particulars entered in the register of licences or of a licence or other document; and
(d)a change of number of any fishing vessel, shall be as set out in the First Schedule.
Identification of vessel
6.—(1)  Upon the issue of a licence, the Director-General shall assign a number to the fishing vessel.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(2)  The number of —
(a)every fishing vessel which is not mechanically propelled or is propelled only by an outboard engine shall be prefixed with the letters “SF”;
(b)every fishing vessel which is propelled by an inboard engine shall be prefixed with the letters “SMF”;
(c)every fishing vessel, propelled by an inboard engine and licensed to carry fish only, shall be prefixed with the letters “SMFC”;
(d)every fishing vessel, propelled by an inboard engine and licensed only to tow nibong poles for use in the fishing industry, shall be prefixed with the letters “SMFT”.
(3)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(4)  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.
(5)  No number or part thereof shall be obscured or rendered or allowed to become indistinguishable.
(6)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
Register of Licences
7.—(1)  The Director-General shall maintain a register of licences in which the following particulars of fishing vessels licensed under these Rules shall be entered:
(a)the name and address of the owner and the master of the vessel, grade and number of the master’s certificate and, if an engineer or engine driver is carried on board, his name and the number and grade of his certificate;
(b)the number and grade of the crew employed;
(c)the length, breadth, depth and gross tonnage in cubic metres of the vessel;
(d)the method of propulsion including details of the engine;
(e)particulars of fishing equipment carried, including life-saving appliances and safety equipment;
(f)the number assigned to the vessel; and
(g)the limits within which the vessel may ply.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(2)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
Crew book
8.—(1)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(2)  Such crew book shall be carried in the fishing vessel and produced for inspection on demand by any authorised officer.
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(3)  The owner or the master of any fishing vessel shall report any change in the crew of the vessel to any authorised officer.
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(4)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(5)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
(6)  The fee for the issue of a crew book shall be as set out in the First Schedule.
Vessel restricted to specified area
9.  The owner of any fishing vessel shall not allow the vessel to ply or operate beyond the area specified in his licence without the prior approval of the Director-General.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
Accident, loss of vessel, etc.
10.—(1)  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.
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(2)  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.
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(3)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
Police assistance
11.   An authorised officer may seek the assistance of the police or such other assistance as is necessary to enable him to do any act or carry out any order or direction pursuant to these Rules.
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Inspection of documents
12.—(1)  Where an authorised officer has reason to suspect —
(a)that any of the provisions of these Rules; or
(b)that any of the conditions imposed in respect of the issue of any licence,
has not been complied with, he may board the fishing vessel with or without police assistance.
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(2)  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.
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(3)  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.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
Registration of worker
13.—(1)  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.
(2)  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.
(3)  An application for or to renew a registration under paragraph (2) (called in these Rules a worker registration) must —
(a)be made to the Director-General in the form and manner the Director-General requires; and
(b)be accompanied by the following information in the form the Director-General requires:
(i)the identity and contact address of the applicant;
(ii)the name and contact address of the applicant’s employer;
(iii)the identification number of the relevant fishing vessel in respect of which the application is made;
(iv)any other documents and information that the Director-General may require to decide on the application.
(4)  The Director-General may refuse to consider an application for or to renew a worker registration that is —
(a)incomplete; or
(b)not made in accordance with paragraph (3).
(5)  After considering an application for or to renew a worker registration, the Director-General may —
(a)on payment of the relevant fee specified in the First Schedule, grant or renew the worker registration, subject to any conditions that the Director-General thinks fit to impose; or
(b)refuse to grant or renew the worker registration.
(6)  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.
(7)  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” —
(a)is valid for a period of 12 months; and
(b)may be renewed upon its expiry.
[S 94/2021 wef 01/03/2021]
Exemption
14.  The Director-General may if he thinks fit exempt any person from all or any of the provisions of these Rules.
[S 705/2004 wef 01/12/2004]
[G.N. Nos. S 57/69; S 50/72; S 337/83; S 317/84; S 166/86; S 311/88; S 191/91]
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