Apply for a foreign fishing vessel licence

About
What you should do
How long does it take
How much does it cost
Forms to complete
Who to contact

 

 

About applying for a foreign fishing vessel licence

A foreign fishing vessel is a vessel that is registered with another country’s flag state (not South Africa). You must apply for a fishing vessel licence with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development in Cape Town.

For the vessel to be licensed, you must have a joint venture with a South African fishing right holder. In order for the vessel to be authorised, you must complete an application form for a catch permit according to the sector in which the vessel will fish. If you want the vessel to fish on the high seas during the charter period, you must complete the High Seas application form.

The South African fishing right holder can only hire the vessel under exceptional circumstances to engage in fishing activities within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or in international waters under South African flag state.

Before engaging in fishing activities, you must contact the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Cape Town (see contact details below) to determine whether hiring of a foreign vessel will be allowed in a particular fishing sector and what documents are needed.

The fishing vessel must undergo a South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) sea-worthy evaluation procedure at your (owner) expense.

All foreign vessels must have a functional INMARSAT C VMS on board that reports to the Branch: Fisheries Management in Cape Town. The Branch: Fisheries Management’s VMS Operation Section will verify this.

What you should do

  1. Download the Application for a foreign fishing vessel licence or get it at the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Customer Service Centre in Cape Town on the Ground Floor, Foretrust Building, Martin Hammerschlag Way, Foreshore.
  2. Complete the application form with the following information:
    • the name of the fishing vessel
    • the name and details of the vessel owner (including ownership shares if jointly owned with South African citizens) 
    • the horsepower of the vessel
    • the length and capacity of the vessel
    • the registration number of the vessel
    • flag state under which the vessel is currently registered (if chartered from or jointly owned with South African citizens) 
    • a valid safety certificate from the flag state
    • fishing sector in which the vessel will be deployed and the duration of the deployment
  3. Attach an official letter from the flag state’s fisheries authority, acknowledging that:
    • the vessel is allowed to fish in South African waters
    • the vessel has not been used in any illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing activity
    • the South African fisheries authority will take responsibility for managing the vessel
    • the South African fisheries authority will take responsibility for reporting catches to Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs); if required in terms of RFMOs all catch statistics of fish caught, whether within South Africa’s EEZ or on the high seas, will accrue to South Africa for the duration of the charter agreement
    • the foreign vessel will fish under South African regulations and permit conditions.
  4. If the vessel is not the nominated vessel in terms of the rights allocation process then you must complete a vessel transfer application form
  5. Pay the prescribed fee into the following account:
    Bank: First National Bank
    Account number: 62123256382
    Account Type: Current
    Account Name: Marine Living Resources Fund
    Branch Name: Corporate Account Services Cape Town
    Branch Code: 204-109
    Call the customer service centre for reference (021 402 3911 / 086 000 3474)
  6. Submit the application to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Private Bag X2, Roggebaai, Cape Town, 8012 together with your fishing right or a contract concluded with fishing right holder if you do not have fishing rights, or hand-deliver the documents to Foretrust Building.

How long does it take

The application to use a foreign owned vessel (including application for vessel transfer, catch permit and high seas licence) may take 14 working days, subject to proper lodging of the applications.

How much does it cost

Tariffs for each service is reflected on the application form.

Contact any SAMSA office for cost information for a sea-worthy certificate. 

Forms to complete

Download the Application for a foreign fishing vessel licence or get it at the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development in Cape Town on the ground floor, Foretrust Building, Martin Hammerschlag Way, Foreshore.

Who to contact
 

Fisheries Customer Service Centre:
Tel 021 402 3911 / 086 000 3474
Fax 021 402 3362

Physical address: Ground Floor, Foretrust Building, Martin Hammerschlag Way, Foreshore, Cape Town 8000
Postal address: Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Private Bag X2, Roggebaai, Cape Town, 8012
Website: https://www.dalrrd.gov.za/

Contact details for SAMSA

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