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Fishing Vessels Code of Practice Explained

What Your Boat Must Have: A Plain English Guide to the Code of Practice for Irish Fishing Vessels Under 15m

If you fish commercially in Ireland on a vessel under 15 metres, the Code of Practice for Small Fishing Vessels (Revision 3, 2022) applies to you. Published by the Department of Transport, it sets out exactly what your vessel must carry, how it must be built, and how it must be operated. Your boat must pass a compliance survey every four years and carry a Declaration of Compliance on board at all times.

This guide breaks down the most important safety equipment requirements in plain language — no legal jargon, just what you need to know and where to buy it.

Click or tap on the headings below to find out more on how you can be legally compliant.

1. Lifejackets & Personal Flotation Devices

Mandatory — Must Comply
In plain EnglishEvery person on board must have their own lifejacket or PFD — and it must be worn on deck at all times. Storing one in a locker does not meet the legal requirement.

The Code requires one lifejacket or Personal Flotation Device (PFD) for every person on board. These must be a SOLAS or MED (Marine Equipment Directive) approved type and fitted with a signalling whistle, light, and retro-reflective tape. Lifejacket donning notices should be displayed in the wheelhouse or another prominent position on board.

For most fishing vessels under 15m, an automatic inflatable lifejacket with harness is the recommended choice. Ensure yours is serviced in line with the manufacturer's recommendations — an unserviced lifejacket can fail when you need it most.

In plain EnglishIf your vessel is 12 metres or longer, every person on board must carry their own PLB on their person while on deck. It must be registered with ComReg before you leave port.

A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is a compact device worn on your body. If you end up in the water, you activate it and it transmits your GPS position to the Coast Guard via satellite. For vessels 12m Loa and over, a PLB must be carried by each person on deck at all times.

Every PLB must be registered with ComReg — an unregistered PLB may significantly delay a rescue response. Your vessel must also carry a satellite EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) fitted with a Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) so it automatically deploys if the vessel sinks.

In plain EnglishVessels 12m and over must carry a SOLAS-approved liferaft with capacity for everyone on board, at all times. Shorter boats also need one if they carry more than 4 people or go more than 5 miles from shelter.

Requirements depend on your vessel’s length and how many people you carry:

  • 12m to 15m Loa: Must carry a SOLAS/MED-approved liferaft for all persons, for all plying limits.
  • Under 12m, more than 4 persons, 5+ miles from safe haven: SOLAS/MED liferaft required.
  • Under 12m, 4 or fewer persons, 5+ miles from safe haven: A non-SOLAS type (see Marine Notice No. 33 of 2016) is accepted.
  • Under 12m, 4 or fewer persons, under 5 miles from safe haven: A liferaft is strongly recommended but not a legal requirement.

All liferafts must be fitted with a Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU), stowed for easy launching from either side of the vessel, and serviced at an approved station every 12 months without exception.

In plain EnglishYou must carry flares on board. Vessels under 12m need 6 red star signals; vessels 12m and over need 12 parachute rockets. Expired flares do not count towards your legal requirement.

In addition to any distress signals supplied with your liferaft, you must carry the following on board at all times:

  • Vessels under 12m Loa: 6 red star signals — or alternatively 4 parachute distress rockets + 4 red hand flares + 2 buoyant orange smoke flares.
  • Vessels 12m Loa and over: 12 parachute distress rocket signals.
⚠ Flares carry an expiry date (typically 3 years from manufacture). Expired flares do not count toward your legal requirement. Dispose of old flares safely through your local harbour authority or An Garda Síochána.
In plain EnglishYou need at least 2 lifebuoys. One must have an 18-metre buoyant heaving line attached. Vessels over 12m need a combined light and smoke signal fitted to one buoy.

Every vessel must carry at least two approved lifebuoys stowed in readily accessible positions on deck. Both must be marked with the vessel name and port of registry.

You must also carry a buoyant rescue quoit (throwing ring) with 18 metres of buoyant heaving line, and a means of recovering a person from the water — such as an overside boarding ladder extending at least 1,000mm below the waterline.

In plain EnglishThe number of extinguishers you need depends on your vessel's length. Every boat needs at least one fire bucket with a lanyard. Halon extinguishers are banned by EU law — replace them immediately.

Requirements by vessel length (decked vessels):

  • 9m to 15m Loa: 2× multi-purpose extinguishers (min. 13A/113B) + 2× smaller extinguishers (min. 5A/34B) + 1 fire bucket with lanyard.
  • 6m to 9m Loa: 2× multi-purpose extinguishers (13A/113B) + 1× smaller (5A/34B if accommodation fitted) + 1 fire bucket.
  • Under 6m / open boats: 1× multi-purpose extinguisher (13A/113B) + 1 fire bucket.

All extinguishers must be mounted vertically in accessible positions and serviced per manufacturer guidelines. A smoke/fire detector must be fitted in the machinery space. All vessels must have a means to close vents and doorways to the engine room, and a remote fuel shut-off operable from outside.

⚠ Halon extinguishers are prohibited under EU Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009. If you have any on board, replace them immediately with halon-free alternatives.
In plain EnglishAll vessels must have a bilge pump on board. Boats 7m and over need two — one hand pump and one powered pump. If your engine is in an enclosed space, you also need a bilge alarm wired to the helm.

Every vessel must have an efficient bilge pumping system. Bilges that fill unnoticed are one of the most common causes of fishing vessel sinkings — the Code sets out minimum pump requirements based on your vessel’s length, and requires alarms where the bilge cannot be directly seen.

Requirements by vessel size:

  • Decked vessels 7m Loa and over: Must have 1 hand bilge pump and 1 power-driven bilge pump. The power pump may be the deckwash pump provided it has a suitable changeover valve to prevent seawater entering the bilge main.
  • All other vessels: Must have at least 1 hand bilge pump.
  • Bilge suctions: Each suction must be fitted with a strum box (filter) to prevent blockages.
  • Minimum pipe diameters (post-2004 vessels): Bilge main on vessels 7m+ — 35mm internal diameter; bilge main on vessels under 7m — 30mm; all branch pipes — 30mm.

A bilge level alarm — both audible and visual — must be fitted on any vessel where the bilge space cannot be readily seen. This includes enclosed engine rooms and open boats with covered bilge areas. The alarm indicator must be located at the helm or control position so the person in charge can see it while navigating.

⚠ A blocked strum box is one of the most common reasons a bilge pump fails in an emergency. Clean your bilge suction filters regularly and check that your pump operates correctly before every trip.

Routine cleaning of bilges is strongly recommended. Oil, fuel, and debris in the bilge are both a fire hazard and a pollution risk. Any oil spillage collected in the bilge must be retained on board and disposed of at shore-based collection facilities — not pumped overboard.

Click here to see our full range of electric bilge pumps!
In plain EnglishYour boat must carry a working VHF radio — the standard two-way radio used at sea. If your vessel is 12 metres or longer, you need a more advanced model with a digital distress button called DSC. All radio equipment must be licensed and the operator must hold a certificate.

What is a VHF radio?

VHF stands for Very High Frequency — it describes the type of radio wave used. A marine VHF radio is a two-way radio that works within roughly line of sight, typically 20–40 miles offshore. Channel 16 is the international distress and calling channel — you must monitor it at all times while at sea. Think of it as the maritime equivalent of 999: if you hear a Mayday on Channel 16, you listen; if you need help, you call on it.

What is the GMDSS?

GMDSS stands for Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. It is not a single piece of kit — it is an international framework of radio and satellite equipment designed so that if you get into trouble at sea, the right people can find you. The radio and distress equipment you are required to carry under the Code is part of this system. What you need depends on how far offshore you go.

What is DSC — and why does it matter?

DSC stands for Digital Selective Calling. Your VHF radio has a dedicated red distress button, usually under a small flip cover. When you press and hold it, the radio automatically sends a digital distress signal containing your vessel’s unique ID number (your MMSI), your GPS position (if your radio is connected to a GPS), and the time. This is faster and more reliable than a voice Mayday call. Every vessel 12m and over must have a VHF radio with DSC capability.

MMSI stands for Maritime Mobile Service Identity — a unique nine-digit number for your vessel’s radio, like a phone number. It must be programmed into your radio before use and registered on your Ship Radio Licence. Without it, a DSC distress call cannot be identified by the Coast Guard.

What equipment do you need?

  • All vessels: A VHF radio capable of transmitting and receiving on Channels 6, 13, and 16. Plus a satellite EPIRB (see below), licensed and registered.
  • Vessels 12m Loa and over: VHF with DSC capability on Channel 70, monitored continuously at sea. Plus a NAVTEX receiver, a radar transponder (SART or AIS-SART), and a PLB worn by each person on deck.
  • Operating beyond Sea Area A1: An MF radio with DSC on 2187.5 kHz is also required, plus a portable waterproof VHF.

What are the sea areas?

Sea Areas describe how far offshore you are, based on which radio stations can reach you:

  • Sea Area A1 — within range of VHF coast radio stations, roughly within 20–30 miles of the Irish coast. Most inshore and coastal Irish fishing is in Sea Area A1.
  • Sea Area A2 — further offshore, within range of MF (Medium Frequency) coast radio stations, up to roughly 150–200 miles. If you fish offshore or in open Atlantic waters, you may be in Sea Area A2 and will need MF radio equipment as well.

What is NAVTEX?

NAVTEX stands for Navigational Telex. It is an automatic receiver that displays weather forecasts, navigation warnings, and search and rescue information. You do not operate it — you install it and it monitors safety broadcasts automatically on 518 kHz. Vessels 12m and over must carry one.

What is a SART or AIS-SART?

A SART (Search and Rescue Transponder) is a portable device you take into a liferaft. When a rescue vessel or helicopter sweeps the area with its radar, the SART responds and shows up on their screen as a line of dots pointing directly to you. An AIS-SART does the same but shows as a named target on chart plotters. Vessels 12m and over must carry one of the two.

Licensing and operator certificates

  • Ship Radio Licence: Your radio installation must be licensed by the Department of Transport (ComReg process). It is specific to your vessel. Operating without one is illegal.
  • Short Range Certificate (SRC): The minimum qualification to operate a marine VHF radio. A one-day course and exam covering VHF and DSC. Required on all vessels.
  • Long Range Certificate (LRC): Required if you operate in Sea Area A2 or beyond, where MF radio is also needed.
  • EPIRB and PLB registration: Your EPIRB must be on the Irish Ship Radio Licence and EPIRB database. Each PLB must be registered separately with ComReg (Marine Notice No. 25 of 2010).

Radio equipment must have a reserve battery supply capable of running VHF and distress communications for at least 6 hours if main power fails. Keep a Radio Log on vessels 12m and over. Test DSC facilities daily and your EPIRB monthly.

⚠ An unlicensed radio, an unregistered EPIRB, or an operator without an SRC certificate means a distress call may go unanswered or cannot be traced to your vessel. The SRC is a single day’s course — there is no excuse for not holding one.
In plain EnglishYou must carry a medical kit on board. What goes in it depends on how far from shore you operate. The vessel owner is responsible for providing it; the master must hold an approved medical training certificate renewed every five years.

Vessels are classified into three categories based on operating distance from the nearest port with adequate medical equipment. The full list of required medicines and equipment is set out in S.I. No. 591 of 2021 and Marine Notice No. 60 of 2021. The owner is responsible for supplying and replenishing the medical kit; the master is responsible for its use and maintenance.

In a medical emergency at sea, contact MEDICO Cork — Ireland's free 24-hour radio medical consultation service — for advice by VHF radio. The master must complete an approved medical training course relevant to the vessel category and renew it every five years.

In plain EnglishEvery vessel must carry an anchor. Use the calculator below to find the exact weight and cable your boat needs — just enter your vessel's length, beam, and depth.

The required anchor weight is set out in Annex 5 of the Code of Practice, based on your vessel's dimensions. Multiply your Length overall × Maximum Beam × Depth amidships to get a number, then read off the table. The calculator does this automatically.

The three measurements:

  • Length overall (L): Full length from the foreside of the foremost fixed structure to the aft side of the aftermost fixed structure (metres).
  • Maximum beam (B): Widest point of the hull, measured to the outside of the hull plating or planking (metres).
  • Depth (D): Vertical distance amidships from the base of the keel to the top of the upper deck at side (metres).

⚓ Anchor Requirements Calculator

Results taken directly from Annex 5 of the Irish Code of Practice (Revision 3, 2022).

The Code specifies HHP (High Holding Power) anchor sizes. If you carry a fisher-type anchor, increase total weight by 25% — cable diameter does not change. Cable must combine short link chain (nearest the anchor) and nylon rope. As a guide, veer at least 5–7 times the depth you are anchoring in.

All vessels must also have a means of being towed — a strong towing line secured to a dedicated strong point on the vessel.

In plain EnglishSafety harnesses are strongly recommended, especially when working alone or in bad weather. Guard rails on exposed decks must be at least 1,000mm high, and all working decks must have a non-slip surface.

The Code strongly recommends carrying and wearing safety harnesses, particularly for single-handed operation. Secure attachment points for lifelines should be available on deck to allow crew to move safely in heavy weather. A safety harness does not replace a lifejacket — both should be worn together.

Guard rails or guard wires on exposed decks must be at least 1,000mm high (915mm where already fitted), with the lower course no more than 230mm above deck. All surfaces where crew work must have an adequate non-slip surface or covering. Personal protective equipment should be in bright, high-visibility colours.

This guide is for general reference only and covers the main equipment requirements under the Code of Practice for Small Fishing Vessels Under 15m, Revision 3 (2022), published by the Irish Department of Transport. Always consult the full Code and your Marine Survey Office (MSO) Authorised Person for requirements specific to your vessel, area of operation, and crew size. The Code is available free at https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/publications/code-of-practice-for-fishing-vessels-less-than-15-metres-in-length-overall/

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