Bulletin No.: 01/2009

PDF Version

 


RDIMS No.: 4382014
Date (Y-M-D): 2009-02-03

 

Subject: Validity of the Fishing Master, Second Class, Third Class and Fourth Class Certificates of Competency Originally Issued Between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007

Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to maintain the original validity of the Fishing Master Certificates of Competency issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007 under the Masters and Mates Examination Regulations or the Marine Certification Regulations.

Scope

This bulletin applies only to a person who holds a Fishing Master, Second Class, Third Class or Fourth Class Certificate of Competency that was originally issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007.

Background

With the entry into force of the Marine Personnel Regulations ( MPR ), the validities of the Fishing Master certificates have been updated with the voyage definitions of the Vessel Certificates Regulations. By doing this, Transport Canada Marine Safety ( TCMS ), has caused a disparity within the validity of the Fishing Master, Second Class, Third Class and Fourth Class Certificates of Competency issued under the previous regulations and the ones issued under the MPR with regard to the limits of operation.

Holders of a Fishing Master Certificate of Competency that was issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007 were allowed to operate in their traditional fishing areas, which extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the nearest coast or beyond the continental shelf.

Under the MPR , the holder of the Fishing Master, Second Class and the Fishing Master, Third Class Certificate of Competency has seen the validity of their certificate reduced as follows:

  1. The validity of the Fishing Master, Second class certificate, when the holder is acting as master, has been reduced from the limits of an intermediate voyage to the limits of a near coastal voyage, class 1;

  2. The validity of the Fishing Master, Third Class certificate, when the holder is acting as Chief mate, has been reduced from the limits of an intermediate voyage to the limits of a near coastal voyage, class 1.

This reduction in the validity of these certificates now restricts the holders to 200 nautical miles from the nearest shore or within the waters of the continental shelf. They are now required to obtain a higher Certificate of Competency, to be permitted to operate beyond this limit.

Under the MPR , holder of the Fishing Master, Fourth Class Certificate of Competency is not permitted to act as officer in charge of the watch, on a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on an unlimited voyage as it was permitted under the previous regulations.

The disparity within the validity of the Fishing Master Certificate of Competency, with regard to the limits of operation, creates for these individuals great difficulty, as there are additional requirements to obtain the higher Certificate of Competency.

Transport Canada Policy

In order to ensure a smooth transition with the MPR , TCMS recognizes and grand-fathers the validity of the Fishing Master, Second Class, Third Class and Fourth Class Certificates of Competency issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007.  TCMS also permits the certificate holders to transit inside the same type of voyage that they were allowed to with those particular Certificates of Competency before the entry into force of the MPR .

Validity of the Fishing Master certificates of competency

Validity of the Fishing Master, Second Class certificate originally issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007:

The holder of the Fishing Master, Second Class certificate issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007 may act as Master of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on a voyage anywhere within the area around North America bounded by the meridians of longitude 30 degrees West and 180 degrees West and north of the parallel of latitude 6 degrees North, and as Chief Mate of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on an unlimited voyage.

Validity of the Fishing Master, Third Class certificate originally issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007:

The holder of the Fishing Master, Third Class certificate issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007 may act as Master of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged anywhere in the coastal waters of North America that is within 200 nautical miles of the shore or within the waters of the continental shelf, whichever distance is farther, as Chief Mate of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on a voyage anywhere within the area around North America bounded by the meridians of longitude 30 degrees West and 180 degrees West and north of the parallel of latitude 6 degrees North, and as officer in charge of the watch of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on an unlimited voyage.

Validity of the Fishing Master, Fourth Class certificate originally issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007:

The holder of the Fishing Master, Fourth Class certificate issued between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007 may act as Master on board a fishing vessel of not more than 100 gross tonnage engaged anywhere in the coastal waters of North America that is within 200 nautical miles of the shore or within the waters of the continental shelf, whichever distance is farther, and as officer in charge of the watch of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on an unlimited voyage.

Period of validity of the Fishing Master Certificates of Competency

All the Fishing Master certificates of competency are valid for a period of five years. When these certificates are due for renewal, the certificate holders are required to show proof of continued proficiency, in accordance with the Marine Personnel Regulations in order to continue to have a certificate that is valid for use at sea.

 

 

The following document is available for downloading or viewing:

 

 

 

  Validity of the Fishing Master, Second Class, Third Class and Fourth Class Certificates of Competency Originally Issued Between March 21, 1980 and June 30, 2007 (45.1  KB )

To access the Portable Document Format ( PDF ) version you must have a PDF reader installed. If you do not already have such a reader, there are numerous PDF readers available for free download or for purchase on the Internet:

Keywords:                                  Questions concerning this bulletin should be addressed to:

1. Fishing Master
2. Validity
3. Certificate of competency

AMSP
Capt. Diane Couture
613-991-3120
Transport Canada
Marine Safety
Tower C, Place de Ville
8th Floor, 330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N8
 

To add or change your address, contact us at: marinesafety@tc.gc.ca or 613-991-3135.

Owners of commercial vessels automatically receive Bulletins.