Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1486)

Life Rafts and Other Life-saving Appliances

Marginal note:Requirement to carry on board

• 3.28 (1) A fishing vessel that is engaged on a voyage set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection, and that has a hull length set out in column 2, shall carry on board the life-saving appliances set out in column 3.

  	Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
  Item	Voyage	Hull Length	Other Life-saving Appliances
  1	Unlimited	Any length	(a) two or more SOLAS life rafts or reduced capacity life rafts with a total capacity that is sufficient to carry, on each side of the vessel, the number of persons on board; (b) one recovery boat; and (c) an immersion suit of an appropriate size for each person on board
  2	Near coastal voyage, class 1	Any length	(a) one or more SOLAS life rafts or reduced capacity life rafts with total a capacity that is sufficient to carry the number of persons on board; and (b) an immersion suit of an appropriate size for each person on board
  3	Near coastal voyage, class 2	More than 12 m	(a) one or more life rafts, or a combination of life rafts and recovery boats, with a total capacity that is sufficient to carry the number of persons on board; (b) an EPIRB, unless the vessel is carrying on board an EPIRB required under the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020; and (c) if the water temperature is less than 15°C, an immersion suit or an anti-exposure work suit of an appropriate size for each person on board
  4	Near coastal voyage, class 2	Not more than 12 m	(a) one or more life rafts, or a combination of life rafts and recovery boats, with a total capacity that is sufficient to carry the number of persons on board; or (b) the following equipment: (i) an EPIRB or a means of two-way radio communication, unless the vessel is carrying on board an EPIRB required under the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020, and (ii) if the water temperature is less than 15°C, an immersion suit or an anti-exposure work suit of an appropriate size for each person on board
  5	Sheltered waters voyage or near coastal voyage, class 2, restricted to 2 nautical miles	Any length	(a) one or more life rafts or recovery boats with a total capacity that is sufficient to carry the number of the persons on board; or (b) the following equipment: (i) an EPIRB or a means of two-way radio communication, unless the vessel is carrying on board an EPIRB required under the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020, and (ii) if the water temperature is less than 15°C, an immersion suit or an anti-exposure work suit of an appropriate size for each person on board

• Marginal note:Appliances or written procedures

  (2) Instead of carrying on board the appliances referred to in subparagraph 5(b)(ii) of the table to subsection (1), a fishing vessel engaged on a sheltered waters voyage may carry on board appliances or written procedures, or a combination of both, for protecting all persons on board from the effects of hypothermia or cold shock resulting from swamping, capsizing or falling overboard.

• Marginal note:Substitute for recovery boat

  (3) A fishing vessel referred in subsection (1) is not required to carry on board a recovery boat if the vessel carries on board an emergency boat, a rescue boat, or a seine skiff that is ordinarily used in the fishing vessel’s fishing operations.

Marginal note:Requirements for life rafts

3.29 A life raft that is carried on board a fishing vessel shall

• (a) be marked with the date and place of last service;

• (b) be serviced, at the intervals set out in section 119 of the Life Saving Equipment Regulations, at a service station that is accredited by the manufacturer of the life raft; and

• (c) except in the case of a coastal life raft that is packed in a valise-type container, be stored in a manner that allows it to automatically float free if the vessel sinks.

Marginal note:Requirements for recovery boats

3.3 A recovery boat that is carried on board a fishing vessel shall carry on board the following equipment:

• (a) a buoyant safety knife secured near the painter;

• (b) a bailer secured within the boat;

• (c) a set of oars or paddles, with locks, secured within the boat;

• (d) a boat hook;

• (e) a painter secured forward, or a quick release slip that can be operated under strain;

• (f) if there are plugholes, a plug for each plughole, secured near the plughole;

• (g) a buoyant heaving line of not less than 15 m in length;

• (h) a flash light with spare bulb and batteries;

• (i) a rustproof whistle;

• (j) two red hand flares; and

• (k) in the case of an inflatable boat, an air pump with fittings suitable for replenishing the inflated chambers.

Marginal note:Launching appliance

3.31 A life raft, emergency boat, recovery boat or rescue boat shall be equipped with a launching appliance, unless it is capable of being launched safely and rapidly by manual means.

Vessel Safety Equipment

Marginal note:Bailers and bilge pumps

• 3.32 (1) A fishing vessel that has a hull length of not more than 9 m shall carry on board a bailer or a manual bilge pump.

• Marginal note:Manual bilge pump

  (2) A fishing vessel that has a hull length of more than 9 m shall carry on board a manual bilge pump.

• Marginal note:Dimensions — bailer

  (3) The bailer referred to in subsection (1) shall be made of plastic or metal, have an opening of at least 65 cm² and have a capacity of at least 750 mL.

• Marginal note:Manual bilge pump — piping and operation

  (4) The manual bilge pump referred to in subsections (1) and (2) shall be

  • (a) fitted with or accompanied by a sufficient length of piping or hose to enable water to be pumped from the bilge space of the fishing vessel over the side of the vessel; and

  • (b) capable of being operated from a position above the deck of the fishing vessel.

Marginal note:Manual propelling device

3.33 A fishing vessel that has no deck or deck structure and that has a hull length of not more than 6 m shall carry on board a set of oars, a paddle or another device that uses human power to propel the vessel.

Marginal note:Anchoring and mooring equipment

• 3.34 (1) A fishing vessel shall carry on board

  • (a) anchoring equipment that conforms to recommended practices and standards and that is arranged in such a way that the anchor can be deployed and retrieved effectively;

  • (b) means to fix the anchor rope to the vessel and to protect the rope against chafing; and

  • (c) equipment and fittings that are arranged in such a way that the vessel can be effectively secured alongside or moored.

• Marginal note:Anchor dragging

  (2) The anchoring equipment shall be resistant to dragging under normal operating conditions, taking into account the fishing vessel’s displacement and windage area.

Navigation Equipment

Marginal note:Illumination of compasses

• 3.35 (1) A compass that is required to be fitted on a fishing vessel under the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020, shall be capable of being illuminated.

• Marginal note:Choice of compass

  (2) A fishing vessel that has a hull length of not more than 8 m and navigates within sight of seamarks shall either carry on board a handheld compass or be fitted with a compass that meets the requirements of the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020 and can be illuminated.

Marginal note:Other navigation equipment

3.36 A fishing vessel

• (a) shall be equipped with means for determining the depth of water under the vessel, unless the vessel is equipped with lead lines in accordance with the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020; and

• (b) shall carry on board a sound-signalling device, unless the vessel is carrying on board a sound-signalling appliance required by the Collision Regulations.

Firefighting Equipment

Marginal note:Requirement to carry on board

• 3.37 (1) A fishing vessel that has a hull length set out in column 1 of the table to this subsection shall carry on board the firefighting equipment set out in column 2 as indicated in that column.

  	Column 1	Column 2
  Item	Hull Length	Firefighting Equipment
  1	Not more than 6 m	(a) a 1A:5B:C portable fire extinguisher; and (b) a 1A:5B:C portable fire extinguisher, if the vessel is equipped with a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance
  2	More than 6 m but not more than 9 m	(a) a 2A:10B:C portable fire extinguisher; (b) a 2A:10B:C portable fire extinguisher, if the vessel is equipped with a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance; and (c) a 10B:C portable fire extinguisher at the entrance to the engine space
  3	More than 9 m but not more than 15 m	(a) a 2A:10B:C portable fire extinguisher; (b) a 2A:10B:C portable fire extinguisher at each access to a space fitted with a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance; (c) a 10B:C portable fire extinguisher at the entrance to the engine space; (d) a fire axe; and (e) a bucket
  4	More than 15 m	(a) a 2A:20B:C portable fire extinguisher; (b) a 2A:20B:C portable fire extinguisher at the following locations: (i) at each access to a space fitted with a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance, and (ii) at the entrance to each accommodation space; (c) a 20B:C portable fire extinguisher at the entrance to the engine space; (d) a fire axe; and (e) two buckets

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) A fishing vessel that is not power-driven and is not equipped with an electrical system is not required to carry on board a portable fire extinguisher set out in paragraphs 1(a), 2(a), 3(a) and 4(a) of the table to subsection (1).

• Marginal note:Reduced number of portable fire extinguishers

  (3) The total number of portable fire extinguishers that must be carried on board a fishing vessel may be reduced by one if the remaining fire extinguishers are arranged so as to be readily accessible near the equipment or locations referred to in paragraphs 1(b), 2(b) and (c), 3(b) and (c) and 4(b) and (c) of the table to subsection (1).

• Marginal note:Bucket

  (4) A bucket set out in paragraphs 3(e) and 4(e) of the table to subsection (1) shall have a capacity of 10 L or more and be fitted with a lanyard of sufficient length to reach the water from the location in which it is stored.