Construction standards

We have our own set of Construction Standards, developed in close consultation with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), fishing vessel builders and fishing industry representatives.

These standards detail a minimum level of construction to which a new vessel should be built in order to gain UK registration as a commercial fishing vessel or small commercial vessel.

The standards are divided in two:

• New fishing vessels up to 15m length overall
• New fishing vessels 15m length overall to 24m registered length

Amendments to the Standards are issued as Seafish Information Notes. These should be read with the latest release of the Seafish Construction Standards.

We also provide guidance documents to help builders and fishermen comply with the Standards.