Registration of fishing vessels
388. (1) Every fishing vessel to which this Chapter applies shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2) A fishing vessel registered at any time before the commencement of this Chapter at any port in Bangladesh under any law for the time being in force shall, for a period of six months from such commencement or for such further period as may be specified in this behalf by the Government, be deemed to be registered under this Chapter and be recognised as fishing vessel registered in Bangladesh and, if she is not registered under this Chapter within such period, shall be liable to be forfeited to the Government.
(3) The owner of every fishing vessel shall make an application in the prescribed form to the Registrar for the grant to him of a Certificate of Registry in respect of the vessel, and shall cause the tonnage of the vessel to be ascertained in the prescribed manner.
(4) The Registrar may make such inquiry as he thinks fit with respect to the particulars contained in the application, and shall enter in a register, to be called the Fishing Vessels Register, the following particulars in respect of the vessel, namely:-
(a) the name of the vessel, the place where she was built, and the port to which she belongs;
(b) her tonnage ascertained as aforesaid;
(c) type of engines;
(d) the name, occupation and address of the owner;
(e) the letter and number assigned to the vessel;
(f) the mortgages, if any, effected by the owner in respect of the vessel;
(g) such other particulars as may be prescribed.
(5) After the particulars in respect of the vessel have been entered in the Fishing Vessels Register under sub section (4), the Registrar shall grant to the applicant a Certificate of Registry in the prescribed form on payment of a fee according to such scale as may be prescribed having regard to the tonnage of the vessel.
(6) A fishing vessel which is required to be registered under this Chapter but is not so registered shall be the Principal Officer, Surveyor or Collector of Customs until the Certificate of Registry is produced.
(7) The owner or master or skipper of every fishing vessel which is required to be registered under this Chapter but has not been so registered shall be liable to pay a fine which may extend to twenty thousand Taka.