My boat

We work to maximise efficiency and profitability throughout the seafood chain - including giving advice and information on your vessel.

Vessel licensing
The purpose of the fishing vessel licensing system is to control UK fishing opportunities so that the European Union (EU) regulations for sustainable fisheries management can be met. This is particularly important because many fish stocks are under pressure from over fishing.

Fishing vessels that are registered in the UK are not allowed to fish anywhere without a licence for sea fish which will be sold. A fishing vessel licence is the authority for a registered fishing vessel to fish for sea fish, and you must adhere to the conditions of the licence.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency work with industry in developing appropriate safety standards for fishing vessels and crews. To assist in the prevention of accidents and environmental damage and promote a safety culture that reduces risks to fishermen in their work.

Fishing vessel construction 

New fishing boats have to be built to the correct standard level of construction and they must have certification to prove they meet that required standard in order to gain registration. We provide a survey and certification service for new fishing boats up to 24m registered length and can advise you of the requirements.

If you are intending to buy a second hand boat for commercial fishing, you should be aware that if it does not have the correct certification or it has been off the fishing vessel register for more than six months then it may require a registration inspection before it can be considered for registration. In some cases, registration may be refused.

Fishing vessel safety 

Fishing vessels must be equipped to a standard level of safety. Details of the equipment required can be found in the relevant code of practice published by the MCA.

Operators of vessels are also required to carry out risk assessments to identify the risks to the health and safety of workers in the normal course of their activities or duties. We provide a number of guidance documents to help fishing vessel operators comply with the requirements.

Engine & fuel
The catching sector is under increasing pressure from a range of sources to reduce the environmental impact of its catching operations. One area of concern which the industry is particularly keen to address is that of fuel efficiency.  The rising cost of fuel is having a dramatic effect on the profitability of many sectors of the UK fishing fleet.
Understanding where energy is expended in a fishing vessel is the first step in addressing fuel efficiency. The second step is to identify what aspects can be influenced by the vessel operator (skipper), the vessel designer/builder or the engineer. Both operational and technical measures can help with fuel efficiency. These include:

Operational
1. Ensuring fishing gear is correctly matched and rigged for the vessel, conditions and target fishery;
2. Reducing engine speed - the easiest and least expensive action a skipper can take to save fuel, particularly whilst steaming.
3. 'Good housekeeping' such as maintaining engine and hull efficiency through regular maintenance.

Technical
1. Ensuring the propulsion package is best suited to the vessel and operation - correct selection of engine, gearbox and propeller.
2. Using alternative fuel and related technologies
3. Considering fuel efficiency when designing new vessel builds - hydrodynamics and beam ratios are important in addition, economic benchmarking (offered by Seafish) can provide relevant data on the financial performance of a vessel, compared to the 'best-in-class'.

1. Optimising gear and Fishing method
2. Economic benchmarking
3. Vessel Optimisation and propulsion
4. Vessel and Hull Maintenance
5. Operational Husbandry and Auxiliary Engines
6. Engine maintenance and Monitoring
7. Fuel and Lubrication
8. New vessel Design and New builds

Useful links

Vessel
• Find a fishing boat
• MCA - Safety Certificate
• Seafish Vessel Surveyor

Licensing
MFA/MMO
Marine Scotland
DARD