Rule 26

Fishing Vessels.

(a)   A vessel engaged in fishing, whether underway or at anchor, shall exhibit only the lights and shapes prescribed by this rule.

(b)   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;

(i) 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;

(ii) a masthead light abaft of 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;

(iii) when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a sternlight.

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

(i) two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower white, or a shape consisting of two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line one above the other;

 (ii) 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;

(iii) when making way through the water, in addition to the lights prescribed in this paragraph, sidelights and a sternlight.

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

(e) 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.

Any vessel engaged in fishing must display the lights prescribed in the Rule.  There is no relaxation for small fishing vessels.  Vessels engaged in fishing cannot be regarded as NUC or RAM, even if their engines or steering gear become defective.  They must only show the lights and shapes prescribed in Rule 26, as they are given a high degree of privilege over other vessels as per Rule 18, only “so far as possible” having to keep clear of other hampered vessels.

All vessels engaged in fishing, are required to show their sidelights and sternlight when making way through the water.  These are one of the few types of vessel, for which it is possible to say with some confidence, whether they are underway and making way, or just underway.

Note that Rule 26 paragraph (b) gives a definition of a vessel engaged in trawling that is not found in Rule 3.  Trawlers and fishing vessels, to all intents and purposes, are just Fishing Vessels under these Rules, but they show different light characteristics.

Also note, that a single masthead light is only compulsory for fishing vessels engaged in trawling, when they are over 50m in length and is optional if they are under this length. As soon as they stop trawling, they revert to being an ordinary power driven vessel and hence, must show the lights for a vessel of that length.   A fishing vessel engaged in fishing is NOT permitted to display the additional masthead light, irrespective of her length.

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Rule-27