double registration S and MFC

[busumark]

i know that someone started a topic about this but i coulndt find it. about 4 months ago i sent a letter to mep simon busuttil and asked him if it was legal according to EU rules if you have a boat that was previously registered 'S' and than registered 'MFC' you have to pay for both licences and than if you make a new boat you can choose either 'S' registered or 'MFC' registered and pay only one license. i got this reply to-day.

Dear Mr. Busuttil,
I am getting back to you on your message dated 25 March and apologise for this inordinate delay. However, I did not have the information myself and I had to refer your query to others.

Vessels registered in the MFC category are recreational vessels and therefore they do not form part of the European Fishing Fleet Register.

According to the "Fishing Vessels Regulations - S.L. 425.07" only fishing vessels of 6 metres or over in length are obliged to have a double registration, thus be registered within the Fishing Vessel Register and also registered under the Merchant Shipping Act of the Malta Maritime Authority. On the other hand according S.L. 425.07 vessels under 6m require a single registration within this Division and thus since the reopening of the Fishing Vessel Register for the MFC category in July 2006, the Fisheries Division is accepting both vessels without any other registration and also vessels already registered as "S" (i.e. registered in the Small Ships Register of the MMA).   The "Small Ships Regulations - S.L. 352.15" also considers the Fishing Vessels Register as a valid Vessel Register as follows:

No small ship shall be used in the internal and territorial waters of Malta unless such ship is registered with the Executive Director under these regulations or unless such ship is registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, or under the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, or unless such ship is registered or documented to the satisfaction of the Authority under the law of any country other than Malta."

However, the above seems to be in conflict with the main MMA Act which states that:

"No boat or ship shall be used in the territorial or inland waters of Malta unless such boat or ship is registered with the Authority in a Small Ships Register established in terms of regulations made under this article, or unless such boat or ship is registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, or unless such boat or ship is registered or documented to the satisfaction of the Authority under the law of any country other than Malta."

In view of the above there is a feeling within the Malta Maritime Authority that vessels under 6m in length overall in the Maltese Fishing Vessel Register, should also be registered within their Register. Therefore in the future there may be a move to ask for a double registration for vessels under 6m too.

Please note that since this is not an EU issue, it would be preferable to contact directly the Small Ships Register of the Malta Maritime Authority for further information.

Whilst hoping that you will find the above information interesting for your perusal, once again I apologise for this delay.

Yours faithfully, Simon Busuttil

like always when there is something that maybe the eu can help us they say that its a local matter

[shanook]

the usual crap... sewwa jghid il Malti minghand Qajfas ghall ghand Pilatu kullhadd jahsel idu.

[Jonathan]

I came across this link, in Maltese, which explains clearly regarding what type of fishing each type of registration permits you to do
http://www.parliament.gov.mt/information/Papers/7579.pdf

[busumark]

but maybe they changed the law because those who are going to renew there S registration are telling them that they can fish with bottom lines(konzijit tal-qieh)

[fish-noob]

I am thinking on buying a boat sometime in the nea future, if i understood correctly does it mean that i should register as an mfc only??

thanks!

[anglers]

what about valletta? it is not clear about valletta!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigboy]

If a boat if over 20ft then it should be registered as valletta and the fishing licence has to be paid aswell.

[anglers]

big boy... do you mean if i pay valletta licence and i dont pay mfb or mfc i am not allowed to fish???

[bigboy]

If you pay the valletta lcence you can practice recreational fishing i.e. trolling and bottom fishing up to now. But to practice any other kind of fishing you must have a permit.

[skip]

If a boat if over 20ft then it should be registered as valletta and the fishing licence has to be paid aswell.

A boat over 20ft doesn't have to be Valletta registered if the owner doesn't intend leaving the 12nm territorial waters, however there is most probably a cut off length. Visa's boat is 24foot and S registered to the best of my knowledge.

S registered boats can still fish recreationally within 12nm using rods, there is DEFINATELY no restriction on that, unless a legal notice has been published in recent weeks.

[visa]

that's correct my boat is 24ft. and it is S registered, however i am going to have it Valletta registered this month as that way i can fish outside the 12mile limit there is of course some extra charges to be paid and insurance is also more expensive as well as having more safety equipment aboard. but that way i am covered.

[davian]

jien ghandi fregatina kienet registrata s u ghamilta mfc mort biex nikancella l s u ikancelawili

[skip]

Try using this as well for reference:

http://www.doi.gov.mt/en/press_releases/2006/03/pr0357E.asp

[shanook]

the thing is if u have an MFC boat and its over 6mtrs u have to register Valletta as well whether u like it or not, I cant understand this. If i want to register valletta than ok i need a boat over 6mts but if i have a 6mts boat I should be left with the choice ofhow to register.
BUT thats the Maltese law........live it or leave it.............

[ganni]

that link dates back to 2006, things have changed from then i guess