Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations

30 (1) In this section and in section 31, approved, when used in reference to an article, means that the article has been built in accordance with the standards therefor in the Life Saving Equipment Regulations and has been approved by the Board.

(2) Every fishing vessel of open construction not exceeding 12.2 m in length shall carry

• (a) one approved life jacket for each person on board; and

• (b) one approved lifebuoy fitted with 27 mm of line.

(3) Every fishing vessel of closed construction not exceeding 12.2 m in length shall carry

• (a) one approved lifejacket for each person on board the vessel;

• (b) one approved lifebuoy fitted with 27 m of line;

• (c) subject to paragraph (d), and if the vessel is subject to inspection, a boat, dory or skiff capable of accommodating all persons on board or a life raft capable of accommodating all persons on board or four persons, whichever is the greater;

• (d) if making home-trade voyages, Class IV, or minor waters voyages, Class II, and the vessel is subject to inspection, a boat, dory or skiff capable of accommodating all persons on board, or a life raft, with or without canopy, capable of accommodating three persons.

(4) Every fishing vessel exceeding 12.2 m in length shall carry

• (a) one approved lifejacket for each person on board the vessel;

• (b) two approved lifebuoys, one fitted with 27 m of line and the other with an approved lifebuoy light;

• (c) in the case of a vessel the keel of which was laid on or after January 6, 1965,

  • (i) a boat, dory or skiff capable of accommodating not less than four persons,

  • (ii) a life raft of sufficient capacity to accommodate

    • (A) 50 per cent of the persons on board, or

    • (B) if the vessel makes voyages other than inland voyages and goes beyond the limits of home-trade Class III voyages, 75 per cent of the persons on board, and

  • (iii) if the equipment required by subparagraphs (i) and (ii) is not capable of accommodating 1 1/2 times the number of persons on board, such additional boats, dories, skiffs or life rafts as are necessary to provide accommodation in the aggregate for 1 1/2 times the number of persons on board; and

• (d) in the case of a vessel the keel of which was laid before January 6, 1965,

  • (i) the equipment described in paragraph (c),

  • (ii) a boat, dory or skiff capable of accommodating not less than four persons together with life rafts capable of accommodating all persons on board, or

  • (iii) a sufficient number of lifeboats, boats, dories or skiffs capable of accommodating all persons on board, except that a vessel equipped in accordance with this subparagraph that makes other than inland voyages and goes beyond the limits of home-trade, Class III voyages shall, carry a life raft of sufficient capacity to accommodate 75 per cent of the persons on board in addition to the equipment already carried.

(5) Where

• (a) a vessel does not go beyond the limits of

  • (i) a home-trade voyage, Class III, or

  • (ii) an inland voyage, and

• (b) the crew of the vessel does not exceed four persons,

a life raft capable of accommodating not less than four persons may be carried by the vessel in lieu of the equipment required by paragraph (4)(c) or (d).

(6) The weight of each seine skiff carried on board a fishing vessel shall be both established and certified to the satisfaction of an Inspector who shall then cause the following details to be marked on the stem or sheer strake thereof, in permanent characters, clearly visible and as near as possible to 75 mm in height:

• (a) the operating weight of the skiff measured in tons, when it is fully equipped with fuel and its fresh water tanks are full;

• (b) the date on which the measurement is taken; and

• (c) the Inspector’s initials.

(7) Every skiff, seine skiff and dory used as life-saving equipment on board a fishing vessel shall be marked with retro-reflective tape in the manner required by Schedule V to the Life Saving Equipment Regulations as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of Schedule IX.