Notification of the Department of Fisheries on Determination of the Rules and Procedures of Marking and Identification of Commercial Fishing Vessels in Thai Waters B.E. 2561 (A.D. 2018)

1 Unofficial Translation1 Notification of the Department of Fisheries on Determination of the Rules and Procedures of Marking and Identification of Commercial Fishing Vessels in Thai Waters B.E. 2561 (A.D. 2018) By virtue of section 81 paragraph 4 of the Royal Ordinance on Fisheries, B.E. 2558 (A.D. 2015) and the amendments, the Director-General of the Department of Fisheries hereby issues the Notification as follows: Clause 1. The Notification of the Department of Fisheries on Determination of the Rules and Procedures of Marking and Identification of Commercial Fishing Vessels in Thai Waters B.E. 2559 (2016) shall be repealed. Clause 2. In this Notification, “Marking and Identification” means the marking and identification of fishing vessels having a commercial fishing license in Thai Waters. “owner” means a person having the ownership or have in possession of fishing vessel. Clause 3. The authorized fishing vessels which receiving a fishing license must be marked by the owner and being clearly visible pursuant to the marking and identification standards as contained in a fishing license issued by Department of Fisheries, in such a way of written or spraying paint in accordance with the rules and procedures prescribed in this Notification. Clause 4. The marking of fishing vessel is the identifiers consisting of roman alphabets in the capital letter and Arabic letters written in order from left to right when turning to the vessel divides to the sub – characters to be replaced other characters as follows A licensee for commercial fisheries using a fishing vessel of thirty gross tonnage or above shall make necessary arrangements to have fishing vessel marks fixed as stipulated below: 1 This translation is provided by the Department of Fisheries (the Legal Affairs Division) as the competent authority for information purposes only. Whilst the Department of Fisheries (the Legal Affairs Division) has made efforts to ensure the accuracy and correctness of translation, the original Thai text as formally adopted and published shall in all events remain the sole authoritative text having the force of law 2 (1) The key regular mark for the fishing vessel comprises a Roman letter and a numeral of a size not smaller than ten centimeters, which is not of the same colour as or of a colour similar to the foundation colour. The key regular mark shall be written on both sides of the vessel’s bow after the vessel’s registration number issued by the Department of Harbour. (2) The first letter represents fishing areas or transshipment areas as follows: (2.1) In the case of a fishing vessel operating fisheries (a) Letter T shall be used to indicate a fishing area in the Gulf of Thailand; (b) Letter A shall be used to indicate a fishing area on the Andaman Coast; (c) Letter H shall be used to indicate a fishing area in the high seas; (d) Letter F shall be used to indicate a fishing area in a coastal state. (2.2) In the case of a carrier engaged in aquatic animal transshipment (a) Letter T shall be used to indicate a transshipment area in the Gulf of Thailand; (b) Letter A shall be used to indicate a transshipment area on the Andaman Coast; (c) Letter R shall be used to indicate a transshipment area in a coastal sea as per the Regulations for vessel inspection; (d) Letter U shall be used to indicate a transshipment area in sea areas outside Thai waters as per the Regulations for vessel inspection. In the case of a fishing vessel in service registered as a carrier for aquatic animal transshipment, a letter representing the fishing area shall be indicated as the first letter, followed by a letter representing the transshipment area. (2) Character 2nd is letter(s) shall be replaced the size of fishing vessel as follows: (a) Letter S shall be used to indicate a vessel of less than thirty gross tonnage. (b) Letter M shall be used to indicate a vessel of thirty gross tonnage and above but not exceeding sixty gross tonnage. (c) Letter L shall be used to indicate a vessel of sixty gross tonnage and above but not exceeding one hundred and fifty gross tonnage. (c) Letter X shall be used to indicate a vessel of one hundred and fifty gross tonnage and above. (3) Characters 3rd numbers or number series of the commercial fishing license pursuant to the size of vessel in each group per (2) (4) Character 4th letter (s) or number (s) of letter Numerals representing shall be replaced the type of fishing gear as follows; (a) A shall be used to indicate trawl nets; (b) B shall be used to indicate surrounding nets; (c) C shall be used to indicate dredges; 3 (e) D shall be used to indicate lift nets; (f) E shall be used to indicate falling nets; (g) F shall be used to indicate gill nets; (h) G shall be used to indicate krill push nets; (i) H shall be used to indicate pots/traps; (j) J shall be used to indicate baited set lines/long-lines; (k) K shall be used to indicate other types of gear; (l) M shall be used to indicate an electricity-generating vessel; Clause 5. Prescribing the rules and procedures for the marking of fishing vessel as follows; (1) The authorized fishing vessels receiving a fishing license must be marked with a written or spray painting the marking that being clearly visible. (2) Form of letter (s) and number (s) shall be in accordance with the form in list 1 attached to this notification. (3) Size of letter (s) and number (s) shall be in accordance with the size of vessel which divided into other groups pursuant to the details in list 2 attached to this notification. (4) the owner of each fishing vessel shall choose any colours for a written or spray painting as follows; (a) Letter (s) and number (s) in white on the black or dark blue frame. (b) Letter (s) and number (s) in the black or dark blue on the white frame. (5) Prescribing the positions for the marking of fishing vessel as follows; (a) a written or spray painting outside the both sides of hull on a space between registration number or vessel name of the Marine Department forward in front of the hull area. In the case where the marking under paragraph 1 clearly display, the owner of fishing vessel can marking by a written or spray painting on the placard fixed or installed outside the both sides of the hull that can being clearly visible adding as prescribed in (a) with the same pattern pursuant to paragraph 1 (b) in the case where the vessel of less than 10 gross tonnage cannot be executed pursuant to (a), it shall be written or spray forward to or under the vessel name or the registration number. Clause 6. The making and identification of fishing vessel shall be executed within sixty days as from the day following the date of its publication in the Government Gazette. Clause 7. This Notification shall come into force as from the date of 1 April its publication in the Government Gazette. Issued on 8 of March, B.E. 2561 (A.D. 2018) (Mr. Adisorn Promthep) Director General of the Department of Fisheries 4