Guidelines for Health and Safety on Board Small Fishing Boats

When a vessel is fishing, it cannot manoeuvre as easily. It is important to signal that fact to other vessels. This allows the vessels to avoid the fishing vessel and prevent an accident.

Signals also tell you what other vessels are doing.

Lights and shapes must be used in accordance with the Rules of the Road

Signals to be displayed

By vessels fishing during the daylight

A black shape consisting of two cones with their apexes together.

By vessels trawling between sunset and sunrise

Two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being green and the lower white

If the vessel is more than 50m long a masthead light abaft of and higher than the all-round green light. Vessels of less than 50 meters in length may have this light but do not have to.

When making way through the water fishing vessels also have to display their sidelights and a sternlight

By vessels fishing (other than trawling).

Two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower white.

When outlying gear extends more than 150 meters horizontally from the vessel, an all-round white light or a cone apex upwards in the direction of the gear.

When making way through the water these vessels also have to have sidelights and a sternlight on.

Finding the regulations

The Maritime Rules Part 22.26 gives details of where the requirements for lights and shapes that fishing vessels are required to display.