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Marine Living Resources Act, 1998 (Act No. 18 of 1998)

Regulations

Regulations in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act, 1998

Annexures

Annexure 14 : Standardised Vessel Marking

 

ANNEXURE 14

 

(Regulation 77)

 

STANDARDISED VESSEL MARKING

 

1. Content of identification marks

 

Any fishing vessel that has been assigned a licence registration number, shall display that number as its identification mark.

 

2.        Location of markings

 

Identification marks shall be prominently displayed—

(a)

(i) on the vessel's side or superstructure, port and starboard, on any vertical or inclined surface, high above the water-line, but not on the flare of the bow of the vessel or on the stem, in such a way as to be clearly visible both from the sea and from the air; and
(ii) for vessels other than undecked vessels, on a horizontal surface of the vessel, athwartships, with the top of the letters and numbers towards the bow of the vessel.
(b) identification marks shall be so placed that they—
(i) are not obscured at any time by fishing gear or any other gear or material, whether stowed or in use;
(ii) are dear of flow from scuppers or overboard discharges and of areas that might be prone to damage or discolouration occurring during or as a result of fishing operations; and
(iii) do not extend below the water-line.
(c) Where a vessel presents a different structure on its port and the starboard side, the identification markings prescribed in item 2(a)(i) may be placed on the sides of the vessel or its superstructure in an asymmetrical way: Provided that they otherwise conform to the provisions of this Annexure.
(d) Where the identification marks prescribed by paragraph 2(a)(ii) are by necessity: painted on a horizontal surface habitually covered by an awning or other temporary cover which would obscure the marking, the awning or other temporary cover shall bear the same identification mark.
(e) All boats, skiffs and craft, other than air craft, carried by the fishing vessel for fishing operations shall bear the same identification mark as the vessel concerned.

 

3.        Technical Specifications

 

(a) Block lettering and numbering shall be used throughout.
(b) The height of letters and numbers shall be in proportion to the size of the vessel in accordance with the following criteria:
(i) For identification marks to be displayed on the side or superstructure of the vessel, item 2(a)(i) is applicable;
(ii) Length and overall minimum height of vessel letters and numbers:

25 m and over 0.5 m

20 m but less than 25 m: 0.8 m

15 m but less than 20 m: 0.6 m

12 m but less than 15 m: 0.4 m

5 m but less than 12 m: 0.3 m

under 5 m: 0.1 m

(iii) Identification marks to be displayed in accordance with item 2(a)(i) on horizontal surfaces of vessels with an overall length of five metres and more shall have a height of not less than 0.3 metres.
(c) The length of the hyphen shall be half of the height of the letters and numbers.
(d) The width of the stroke for all letters, numbers and the hyphen shall be one sixth of the height of the letters and numbers.
(e) The space between letters and/or numbers, except in the case referred to in paragraph (f), shall not exceed one quarter of the height of the letters and numbers or be less than one sixth of that height.
(f) The space between adjacent letters having sloping sides shall not exceed one eight of the height of the letters or be less than one tenth of that height.
(g) Identification marks shall be white on black background or black on white background, the background extending to provide a border around the letters and numbers of not less than one sixth of the height of the letters and numbers.
(h) Good quality marine paints shall be used for applying the identification markings set out in this Annexure.
(i) Retroreflective or heat-generating substances shall be accepted, provided that the identification marks otherwise meet the requirements of the present Annexure.
(j) The identification marks and the background to the same shall be maintained in a good condition at all times.