Guidance and regulation

Notice to all owners, operators, managing agents, skippers and crew.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 23 October 2017

Owners of UK-flagged fishing vessels are responsible for basic health and safety on board their boats, safe working practices and safety equipment.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 20 April 2021

Guidance for fishermen on health and safety best practice, and applying merchant shipping and fishing vessel regulations.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 1 May 2020

Maximum continuous engine power is the total power that can be obtained at the flywheel of each engine used to propel the vessel.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 28 January 2012

In 2018, ILO Convention No. 188 The Work in Fishing Convention will also be implemented in the UK.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 21 November 2018

Guidance for fishermen and builders. This guide describes the processes to follow through building a new fishing vessel of less than 24m registered length for vessels being built from 21 July 2020.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 16 November 2023

General safety regulations for lifesaving appliances (LSA) and safety equipment on fishing vessels

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 26 February 2024

This provides a Code of Safe Working Practice for the construction and use of 15m length overall to less than 24m registered length vessels, replaces MSN 1770.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 21 November 2018

Amendment 3 outlines guidance on mitigating, where there is risk of injury, from the effects and impacts of whole body vibration on small vessels.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 18 July 2023

This notice outlines the requirements for health and safety signs and signals at work.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 7 March 2022

Codes of Practice detail the regular maintenance requirements of safety equipment and systems to a high standard, as is required to maintain fishing certificates.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 9 September 2021

Provides guidance to help fishermen make decisions regarding the operation of their vessel using the Wolfson Stability Guidance Method.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 21 November 2018

If a fisherman requires medical care while working on a fishing vessel they must receive this free of charge and costs rest with the fishing vessel owner.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 1 February 2021

Fishermen working on a fishing vessel engaged in commercial operations, must have a fisherman’s work agreement (FWA), setting out their terms and conditions.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 22 July 2021

Amendment 2 Information about the minimum age for fishermen and the protection of young persons (under 18 years) working on board UK fishing vessels.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 4 February 2022

Freeboard and stability information book for skippers.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 1 May 2014

Leaflet for skippers and crew, fishing safely.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 6 May 2014

All fishing vessels must carry out regular drills and record these. Drills may differ depending on whether the vessel is single handed or not.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 20 April 2021

Amendment 3 contains guidance on the factors affecting the risks of manual handling, with particular reference to work on board ships.

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 31 October 2022

Guidance for fishermen on how to correctly fit a HRU

• From: Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Updated: 2 March 2021