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About applying for a local fishing vessel licence
To operate a local fishing vessel in South Africa, the vessel must be registered with the South African flag state. You must apply for a safety certificate with the South African Maritime Safety Authority and a fishing vessel licence with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in Cape Town.
To qualify, you must be a:
- South African with full ownership and control of the vessel, or
- a body corporate, society or other association registered in South Africa in which the majority shares and voting rights are controlled by a South African.
A local fishing vessel includes all gear, equipment, stores, cargo and fuel on board. It may also include any assisting one or more vessels at sea in performance of any activity relating to fishing.
These includes, but not limited to:
- preparation
- supply
- storage
- refrigeration
- transportation, or processing
- direct engagement in fishing activities within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)/ international waters under the flag state of South Africa.
Note. It is unlawful to use an unregistered vessel. If you do not have fishing rights, you must have a contract with the fishing right holder to operate your vessel.
No commercially registered fishing vessel may be used for recreational purposes.
Commercially registered fishing vessels are linked to a specific fishing right and can only be used for that right.
The validity period of the fishing vessel license is linked to the validity period of the SAMSA certificate. |