The Merchant Shipping (Radio) (Fishing Vessels) Regulations 1999

PART III UNITED KINGDOM NON-DIRECTIVE FISHING VESSELS(New fishing vessels of 12 metres or more but less than 24 metres in length and existing fishing vessels of 12 metres or more but less than 45 metres in length, which are registered in the United Kingdom)

Provision of radio installations

21.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a fishing vessel operating in sea area A1, A2, A3 or A4, shall be provided with the equipment listed in the second column of the table in Schedule 4 to these Regulations, if it is indicated by a “1” in the third, fourth, fifth or sixth column respectively that such equipment is required.

(2) Without prejudice to the other equipment required in that table:

(a) a fishing vessel operating in sea area A2 shall be provided with at least one of the following: an MF radio installation, an INMARSAT—C or an MF/HF radio installation; and

(b) a fishing vessel operating in sea area A3 shall be provided with an INMARSAT—C or an MF/HF radio installation (or both).

(3) The footnotes to the table in Schedule 4 to these Regulations shall have effect for the purposes of that table.

Radio personnel

22.—(1) Every fishing vessel shall carry a person who is qualified for distress and safety radio communication purposes as specified in paragraph (2).

(2) A person is qualified for the purposes of paragraph (1) where–

(a) in the case of an area A1 vessel, he holds a GMDSS Short Range or Long Range Certificate issued pursuant to the Annex to the Resolution 343 of the World Radiocommunication Conference held by the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva in 1997;

(b) in the case of an area A2, area A3 or area A4 vessel, he holds a GMDSS Long Range Certificate issued pursuant to that Annex.

Radio watches

23.—(1) Every fishing vessel while at sea shall maintain a watch–

(a) on VHF channel 70 using DSC, if the vessel is fitted with a VHF radio installation;

(b) on the distress and safety DSC frequency 2,187.5 kHz, if the vessel is fitted with an MF radio installation;

(c) on the distress and safety DSC frequencies, 2,187.5 kHz and 8414.5 kHz and also on at least one of the distress and safety DSC frequencies 4,207.5 kHz, 6,312 kHz, 12, 577 kHz or 16,804.5 kHz, appropriate to the time of day and the geographical position of the vessel, if the vessel is fitted with an MF/HF radio installation; this watch may be kept by means of a scanning receiver;

(d) for satellite shore-to-ship distress alerts, if the vessel is fitted with an INMARSAT ship earth station.

(2) Every fishing vessel while at sea shall maintain a radio watch for broadcasts of maritime safety information on the appropriate frequency or frequencies on which such information is broadcast for the area in which the fishing vessel is navigating.

(3) Until 1st February 2005 inclusive every fishing vessel while at sea shall maintain, when practicable, a continuous listening watch on VHF channel 16; such watch shall be kept at the position from which the fishing vessel is normally navigated.

Sources of energy

24.—(1) (a) There shall be available at all times while the fishing vessel is at sea and at all reasonable times when it is in port, a supply of electrical energy which is sufficient for the operation of the radio installation, the testing of the said installation and the charging of any battery which is a source of electrical energy for it.

(b) The supply of electrical energy shall be maintained at a voltage within plus or minus 10 per cent of the voltage the source of supply is designed to deliver.

(2) (a) A reserve source of electrical energy, independent of the propelling power of the fishing vessel and of the fishing vessel’s main electrical installation shall be provided and, where reasonably practicable, shall be situated in the upper part of the fishing vessel.

(b) This reserve source, which may consist of the battery referred to in paragraph (1) above, shall be capable of being brought into immediate operation by means of a readily accessible switchboard.

(c) This reserve source shall be maintained at all times while the fishing vessel is at sea in such condition as to be capable of supplying continuously for a period of at least six hours a total current equal to the sum of–

(i) the current consumption of the VHF receiver;

(ii) one fifth of the current consumption of the VHF transmitter;

(iii) the current consumption of an MF or MF/HF receiver and of the transmitter when it is in such a condition that operation of the “press to transmit” switch will make it ready for immediate transmission;

(iv) one third of the current which may be drawn by an MF or MF/HF transmitter for speech transmission on the frequency at which the current consumption of the transmitter is at a maximum;

(v) the current consumption of an INMARSAT ship earth station when it is receiving transmissions;

(vi) one quarter of the current which may be drawn by an INMARSAT ship earth station when it is transmitting in the mode at which the current consumption is at a maximum; and

(vii) the total current consumption of all additional loads to which the reserve source may supply energy in times of distress or emergency.

(3) Adequate means shall be provided on board every fishing vessel for the charging of batteries provided as a source of electrical energy for the operation of the radio installation.

(4) When any battery provided for a radio installation is not in use, it shall be capable of being fully charged within a period of not more than 16 hours by the means of charging required by paragraph (3).

Radio records

25.—(1) A record (hereinafter referred to as “the Simplified FV GMDSS Radio Log”) shall be kept of the matters specified in Part II of Schedule 3 to these Regulations.

(2) The skipper shall inspect and sign each day’s entries in the Simplified FV GMDSS Radio Log.

(3) The skipper shall, on demand, product the Simplified FV GMDSS Radio Log for inspection by–

(a) the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen,

(b) a superintendent,

(c) a proper officer,

(d) an officer of customs and excise, or

(e) an officer authorised by the Secretary of State to make such inspections.

Maintenance requirements

26.  Equipment required by this Part shall be maintained to such a standard as will ensure that the functional requirements specified in regulation 8 are met, and that the performance standards recommended by the Organization for such equipment are met.