Fishing Vessels
All fishing vessels, irrespective of size, registered in the Isle of Man are surveyed by an Isle of Man Ship Registry surveyor.
Fishing vessels are surveyed against the following Codes for compliance:
The Isle of Man Code of Practice for the Safety of Small fishing Vessels (less than 15m LOA)
Please contact marine.survey@gov.im or call the Duty Principal Surveyor on +44 (0)1624 688500 to arrange all surveys or to seek advice on requirements.
NEW fishing vessels
All fishing vessels new to the Isle of Man Ship Registry must be surveyed prior to registration. It is a requirement that all new vessels are surveyed prior to the allocation of any grants or licences by DEFA. This applies even if the vessel is not on the Isle of Man. Fees and off island travel expenses for this survey are charged to the buyer of the vessel and are required in advance of survey.
EXISTING VESSELS
All fishing vessels are issued with a Fishing Vessel Certificate valid for a maximum of 5 years. This requires an ‘Intermediate Survey’ between the certificate's 2nd & 3rd year of validity, and a ‘Renewal Survey’ prior to the certificate's expiry. It is the responsibility of the owner to arrange all surveys. Should the intermediate survey not be carried out within the time window, or should the certificate expire, the vessel must not proceed to sea.
Proposed structural modifications or modifications to the fishing gear of any fishing vessel, especially those which might affect stability, should be submitted for review and agreement by the Isle of Man Ship Registry, prior to commencement of work. Reviews will be conducted swiftly and free of charge.