1. (1) This Ordinance may be called the Marine Fisheries Ordinance, 1983. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint.

2. In this Ordinance, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,- (a) “Bangladesh fisheries Waters” means the territorial waters and economic zone of Bangladesh as declared by the Government under the Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1974 (XXVI of 1974), and any other marine waters over which has, or claims to have, jurisdiction under law with respect to the management, conservation and development of the marine living resources; (b) “Director” means the person appointed as such under section 4; (c) “fish” means any aquatic animal, whether piscine or not, and includes any shellfish, crustacean, turtle or aquatic mammal, and the young, fry, eggs and spawn thereof; (d) “fishery” means one or more stocks of fish that can be treated as a unit for the purposes of conservation and management; (e) “fishing” means catching, taking or killing fish by any method, and includes attempting to catch, take or kill fish by any method; (f) “fishing vessel” means any vessel used for fishing or for processing carriage or storage of fish, and includes any vessel used in support of, or ancillary to, fishing operations but does not include any vessel carrying fish as part of a general cargo unless that vessel is engaged in operations in support of, or ancillary to, fishing operations; (g) “foreign fishing vessel” means any fishing vessel other than a local fishing vessel; (h) “licence” means a licence issued in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance or the rules made thereunder; (i) “local fishing vessel” means any fishing vessel-┬¼ (i) wholly owned by one or more persons who are citizens of Bangladesh; or (ii) wholly owned by any company, society or other association of persons established under the law of Bangladesh of which at least 51 per cent of the shares are held by citizens of Bangladesh and includes any fishing vessel registered in Bangladesh and operating under Bangladesh flag under joint venture or any other approved arrangements; or (iii) wholly owned by the Government or by a statutory corporation established under a law of Bangladesh; (j) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Ordinance; (k) “skipper”, in relation to a fishing vessel, means the person for the time being having command or charge of the vessel.

3. (1) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, exempt, subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified therein, any local fishing vessel or class of vessels from the provisions of Part III for such period as may be specified in the notification. (2) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, declare zone in which only non mechanised local fishing vessels or mechanised local fishing vessels of such tonnage as the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette determine, may engage in fishing operation or in which fishing operations by other fishing vessels may be restricted.