Bulletin No.: 07/2009

PDF Version

 


RDIMS No .: 4994830
Date ( Y-M-D ): 2009-09-30

 

Subject: Delay Related to the Enforcement of the Deck Watch Requirement for Fishing Vessels of less than 100 Gross Tonnage

Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform stakeholders of the delay related to the enforcement of the deck watch requirements for fishing vessels of less than 100 gross tonnage. These vessels are exempted for a period of time from the Marine Personnel Regulations ( MPR ) requirement that the person in charge of the deck watch be the holder of a certificate of competency ( CoC ), in cases where the certificated master cannot permanently by himself be the sole person in charge of the deck watch.

Scope

This bulletin applies to fishing vessels of less than 100 gross tonnage that are required to have, in addition to the master, a person in charge of the deck watch who holds a CoC .

Background

Under the previous Crewing Regulations, neither the master nor the person in charge of the deck watch of a fishing vessel of less than 60 gross tonnage was required to hold a CoC .

With the entry into force of the MPR , the master and any person in charge of the deck watch on fishing vessels of less than 60 gross tonnage will be required to hold a certificate in accordance with the entry into force schedule specified in the Regulations.

This requirement began to apply to fishing vessels of more than 15 m in overall length on November 7, 2008 and will apply to fishing vessels of more than 14 m on November 7, 2009.

The fishing industry has already experienced some difficulties in recruiting certificated persons to fill the master’s position.

The fishing industry is not able to comply with the new “officer of the watch” requirement already in force and in addition, they will be unable to reach compliance in time for the next scheduled date of entry into force on November 7, 2009 due to the huge shortage of certificated persons and to the impossibility of schools to offer enough courses to have a sufficient number of seafarers getting the required training.

Transport Canada Policy

In order to allow sufficient time for the fishing industry to comply with the MPR , Transport Canada Marine Safety ( TCMS ) agrees not to take any enforcement action until November 7, 2010, against a fishing vessel of less than 100 gross tonnage or against an individual, where the person in charge of the deck watch does not hold the certificate required by subparagraph 216. (2) (a) (i) of the MPR , as long as the master onboard the vessel holds the required CoC .

 

 

The following document is available for downloading or viewing:

 

 

Delay Related to the Enforcement of the Deck Watch Requirement for Fishing Vessels of less than 100 Gross Tonnage (112.32 KB

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Keywords:
Questions concerning this bulletin should be addressed to:
 
1. Deck Watch
2. Delay
3. Fishing Vessel
4. Transitional period
5. Marine Personnel Regulations
AMSP
Diane Couture
613-990-1524
Transport Canada
Marine Safety
Tower C, Place de Ville
8th Floor, 330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N8

 

 

 

 

 

 

To add or change your address, contact us at: marinesafety-securitemaritime@tc.gc.ca or 613-991-3135.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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