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Large Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1435)

Regulations are current to 2024-02-20 and last amended on 2023-02-21. Previous Versions

Large Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations

C.R.C., c. 1435

CANADA SHIPPING ACT, 2001

Regulations Respecting the Construction and Inspection of Fishing Vessels Exceeding 24.4 M in Length or 150 Tons, Gross Tonnage

Short Title

 These Regulations may be cited as the Large Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations.

Interpretation

 In these Regulations,

Act

Act means the Canada Shipping Act; (Loi)

approved

approved, except where otherwise stated, means approved by the Board; (approuvé)

Board

Board means the Board of Steamship Inspection; (Bureau)

Chairman

Chairman means the Chairman of the Board; (président)

Class II EPIRB

Class II EPIRB means an emergency position indicating radiobeacon; (RLS de classe II)

continuous rating

continuous rating means the brake power in kilowatts and speed stated by the manufacturer to be the highest at which an engine will give satisfactory service when operating continuously for not less than 24 hours; (régime continu)

Divisional Supervisor

Divisional Supervisor means the officer of the Department of Transport in charge of a Steamship Inspection Division and includes the Regional Superintendent of a Steamship Inspection Division; (surveillant divisionnaire)

existing

existing, when used with reference to a fishing vessel, means a fishing vessel that is not new; (existant)

fishing vessel

fishing vessel means a vessel engaged in commercial fishing; (bateau de pêche)

immersion suit

immersion suit means a protective suit that reduces the body heat-loss of a person immersed in cold water; (combinaison d’immersion)

inspector

inspector means a steamship inspector appointed under the Act; (inspecteur)

length

length means

  • (a) in the case of a vessel that is registered under the Act or required by the Act to be registered,

    • (i) the distance from the fore part of the uppermost end of the stem to the aft side of the head of the stern post except that if a stern post is not fitted to the vessel, the measurement shall be taken to the foreside of the head of the rudder stock, or

    • (ii) if the vessel has no rudder stock or has a rudder stock situated outside of the hull at the stern, the distance from the foreside of the foremost permanent structure to the aft side of the aftermost permanent structure of the vessel, not including guards or rubbing strakes, and

  • (b) in the case of a vessel that is not required by the Act to be registered, the horizontal distance measured between perpendiculars erected at the extreme ends of the outside of the hull; (longueur)

new

new, when used with reference to a fishing vessel or article, means that the construction of the fishing vessel or article to which reference is made was commenced on or after July 12, 1956 and includes any foreign fishing vessel brought under Canadian registry whether or not its construction was commenced before or after July 12, 1956 ; (neuf)

sailing ship

sailing ship means

  • (a) a ship propelled wholly by sails, or

  • (b) a ship principally employed in fishing not exceeding 200 tons, gross tonnage, provided with masts, sails and rigging sufficient to allow it to make voyages under sail alone, and that, in addition, is fitted with mechanical means of propulsion other than a steam engine; (voilier or navire à voiles)

SART

SART means a radar transponder designed for search and rescue purposes; (répondeur SAR)

survival craft

survival craft means a vessel carried pursuant to section 24 as life saving equipment on board a fishing vessel; (bateau de sauvetage)

TP 127

TP 127 means the Ship Safety Electrical Standards, issued by the Department of Transport, as amended from time to time. (TP 127)

VHF coverage area

VHF coverage area means

  • (a) the Great Lakes,

  • (b) the Saguenay River downstream from Chicoutimi,

  • (c) the St. Lawrence River as far seaward as a straight line drawn

    • (i) from Cap-des-Rosiers to West Point, Anticosti Island, and

    • (ii) from Anticosti Island to the north shore of the St. Lawrence River along the meridian of longitude 63° west,

  • (d) Puget Sound, State of Washington, U.S.A., or

  • (e) all waters that are within a coverage radius of a Canadian Coast Guard or U.S. Coast Guard radio station providing a continuous maritime mobile distress and safety service on frequency 156.8 MHz (channel 16). (zone VHF)

  • SOR/80-249, s. 2
  • SOR/85-182, s. 1
  • SOR/96-216, s. 1
  • SOR/99-215, s. 3
  • SOR/2000-263, s. 1

 In these Regulations, the classes of home-trade voyages, inland voyages and minor waters voyages have the meanings assigned in sections 4 to 6 of the Home-Trade, Inland and Minor Waters Voyages Regulations.

  • SOR/2000-263, s. 2

Exemptions and Special Requirements

 Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations, the Board may,

  • (a) where it is satisfied that it can with propriety do so, exempt any ship from full compliance with any of the requirements of these Regulations; and

  • (b) where it considers it necessary in the interests of safety of life, impose special requirements in respect of life saving and fire extinguishing equipment in addition to the requirements of these Regulations.

Vapourizing Liquid

 Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations, the use of a vapourizing liquid fire extinguisher, as set out in these Regulations, is prohibited, except that in radio rooms and at switchboards such an extinguisher may be used if it contains not more than 1.136 L of vapourizing liquid and is used in addition to the other requirements of these Regulations.

  • SOR/80-249, s. 3

Application

 These Regulations apply to new fishing vessels over 24.4 m in length or 150 tons, gross tonnage, that are not sailing ships.

  • SOR/80-249, s. 3
  • SOR/82-126, s. 2

 Sections 10 to 13.1 and 14.1, subsections 15(12) to (12.2) and (15) and sections 19.1, 22.1 and 24 to 27 apply in respect of every existing fishing vessel over 24.4 m in length or 150 tons, gross tonnage, that is not a sailing ship.

 Every life raft, rocket, flare or signal required by these Regulations for a fishing vessel shall be of a type approved by the Board and constructed in accordance with the standards for such equipment prescribed in the Life Saving Equipment Regulations.

  • SOR/96-216, s. 7

 [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 56]

Stability

  •  (1) On completion or near completion of a vessel, an inclining experiment shall be conducted in the presence of and to the satisfaction of a steamship inspector.

  • (2) The results obtained from an inclining experiment shall be developed to indicate the stability of the vessel in the following conditions:

    • (a) lightship;

    • (b) port departure;

    • (c) arrival at fishing grounds;

    • (d) half load;

    • (e) full load;

    • (f) worst operating condition affecting stability;

    • (g) worst operating with accumulated ice on topsides and rigging; and

    • (h) port after discharge of cargo with 10 per cent of fuel, fresh water and stores remaining and accumulated ice on topsides and rigging.

  • (3) The results obtained from an inclining experiment shall be further developed to indicate the stability of the vessel when loaded with fish of species having different stowage characteristics in conditions described in paragraphs (2)(d), (e), (f) and (g).

  • (4) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the results obtained from an inclining experiment are not required to be developed to indicate the stability of a vessel in conditions described in paragraphs (2)(g) and (h) unless the vessel is to be operated in or transferred to the northern or eastern waters of Canada.

  • (5) Where appropriate to the trade of a vessel, in the development of the results obtained from an inclining experiment, an allowance shall be made for the stowage of fish on the deck of the vessel.

  • (6) In developing the results of an inclining experiment to indicate the stability of a vessel in conditions described in paragraphs 2(g) and (h), accumulated ice shall be deemed to weigh

    • (a) 54 kg/m2 of total deck area, including the superstructure and deckhouse tops that are exposed to the weather;

    • (b) 37 kg/m2 of area exposed to the weather in the case of the superstructure and deckhouse fronts, and the deckhouse sides and bulwarks including the area of the deckhouse sides and bulwarks on both sides of the vessel except that only the inboard surfaces shall be included in computing the bulwark areas;

    • (c) 78 kg/m2 of area, taking into consideration overall block dimensions, in the case of the guardrails and stanchions, hatch coamings, companionways and ship fittings exposed to the weather; and

    • (d) 48 kilograms per running metre in the case of rigging, masts, derricks and similar high objects measured to a height of 6.1 m above the main weatherdeck.

  • (7) The position of the vertical centre of gravity of accumulated ice shall be calculated using the weights calculated in accordance with subsection (6) except that the following minimum values shall apply:

    • (a) in the case of side trawlers, the minimum height of the vertical centre of gravity shall be 2.44 m above the main weatherdeck; and

    • (b) in the case of stern trawlers, the minimum height of the vertical centre of gravity shall be 1.22 m above the main weatherdeck.

  • (7.1) [Repealed, SOR/79-903, s. 2]

  • (8) The following plans shall be submitted to the Board together with the stability calculations required by this section:

    • (a) hydrostatic curves and draught mark locations;

    • (b) cross curves of stability;

    • (c) curves of righting levers for each of the conditions specified in subsection (2);

    • (d) a capacity plan indicating the capacities and centres of gravity of all cargo spaces, tanks and other storage spaces; and

    • (e) tank sounding tables.

  • (9) The owners of a vessel shall provide a booklet to be placed on board the vessel for the information of the master,

    • (a) indicating the stability characteristics of the vessel;

    • (b) containing appropriate information relative to loading in the various conditions specified in this section; and

    • (c) generally set up in a form similar to the specimen page in Schedule VIII.

  • (10) Subject to subsection (12), this section applies to

    • (a) every vessel the keel of which is laid on or after March 2, 1967;

    • (b) every vessel built outside of Canada for which application for registry in Canada is approved; and

    • (c) to the extent considered necessary by the Board, to every existing vessel.

  • (11) Where an existing vessel is modified in such a manner as to affect its stability characteristics,

    • (a) in the case of a vessel for which the stability information required by this section is available, that stability information shall be modified and submitted to the Board for approval; and

    • (b) in the case of a vessel for which the stability information required by this section is not available, that stability information shall be provided to the extent considered necessary by the Board.

  • (12) The Board may, on application, dispense with the stability tests required by this section in respect of a vessel, if the stability data and plans required by this section have been approved for a sister vessel.

  • SOR/78-918, s. 2
  • SOR/79-903, s. 2
  • SOR/80-249, s. 5
  • SOR/82-348, s. 1
  • SOR/95-372, s. 7

Machinery Controls

 Except where a continuous watch is maintained in the propulsion machinery space while a fishing vessel is underway, a readily identifiable means of stopping the propulsion of the fishing vessel, other than shutting the fuel tank valve, shall be provided outside the propulsion machinery space.

  • SOR/89-95, s. 2
  • SOR/96-216, s. 11(F)

Steering Gear

 Where a manually operated hydraulic steering system is the auxiliary system to a powered hydraulic steering system, the change-over mechanism shall be located in the wheelhouse.

  • SOR/82-126, s. 3

Control of Loaded Fish Nets

 Retaining bulwarks shall be installed in, restraining tackle shall be fitted on or other suitable arrangements shall be made to every fishing vessel to ensure that loaded nets are kept fully under control and prevented from sliding to one side while they are being recovered from the water and while they are on deck.

Boilers, Steam Engines and Steam Auxiliaries

  •  (1) Boilers, boiler mountings, main steam pipes, main feed pipes, evaporators, feed heaters, boiler feed systems, main shafting, main engines and oil fuel systems shall be constructed and inspected during construction as required by the Marine Machinery Regulations.

  • (2) Fishing vessels propelled by steam shall be provided with feed pumps and feed water system fittings as follows:

    • (a) not less than two entirely separate power feed pumps shall be fitted, one of which may be worked from the main engines and the other shall be an independent power pump;

    • (b) if a feed pump worked from the main engines is not fitted, one of the independent pumps shall be fitted with an automatic regulator for controlling its speed;

    • (c) each power feed pump shall be capable of performing the whole work required of feeding the boilers at full power;

    • (d) the independent power feed pump shall be fitted with suctions to the hotwell and the sea;

    • (e) the suction valves to the hotwell or feed water drain tank shall be of the non-return type; and

    • (f) where superheated steam is used in main or auxiliary engines of reciprocating type, filters shall be fitted to provide for the continuous filtration of the boiler feed water, and if a direct contact heater is supplied with exhaust steam from reciprocating engines, the feed water from the heater shall be led through those filters.

  • (3) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (4) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (5) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (6) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (7) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (8) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (9) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (10) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

  • (11) [Repealed, SOR/2021-135, s. 57]

 

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