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DOT Home | Marine information | Commercial vessel safety | Collision regulations (lights / shapes) | Rule 26 - Fishing vessels

Rule 26 - Fishing vessels

Please note: The following information has been reproduced from Part C (Lights and Shapes) of the Prevention of Collision at Sea Regulations 1983 (external link). The purpose of the reproduction is to explain "graphically'' the requirements of navigation lights on a variety of vessels.

A vessel engaged in fishing, whether underway or at anchor, shall exhibit only the lights and shapes prescribed in this Rule.

A vessel when engaged in trawling, by which is meant the dragging through the water of a dredge net or other apparatus used as a fishing appliance, shall exhibit:

• two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being green and the lower white, or a shape consisting of two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line one above the other;
• a masthead light abaft and higher than the all-round green light; a vessel of less than 50 metres in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such a light but may do so; and
• when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a sternlight.

View examples A, B and C

Example A

Example B

Example C

A vessel engaged in fishing, other than trawling, shall exhibit:

• two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower white, or a shape consisting of two cones with apexes together in a vertical line one above the other;
• when there is outlying gear extending more than 150 metres horizontally from the vessel, an all-round white light or a cone apex upwards in the direction of the gear; and
• when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a sternlight.

View examples D and E

Example D

Example E

The additional signals described in Annex II (Additional signals for fishing vessels fishing in close proximity) to these Regulations apply to a vessel engaged in fishing in close proximity to other vessels engaged in fishing.

View example F

Example F

A vessel when not engaged in fishing shall not exhibit the lights or shapes prescribed in this Rule, but only those prescribed for a vessel of her length.

View example G

Example G