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Chapter 22 - Fishing Master, Second Class

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General

22.1 General requirements

The general requirements for a certificate as Fishing Master, Second Class are listed in section 140 of the Marine Personnel Regulations.

22.2 Validity of certificates

The holder of this certificate may act as Master of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on a near coastal or sheltered waters voyage and as Chief Mate of a fishing vessel of any tonnage engaged on an unlimited voyage.

Syllabuses of Examinations

22.3 Communications, level 1 (Examination Code: COM 1)

Refer to section 5.3, Chapter 5 of this TP.

22.4 Meteorology, level 1 (Examination Code : MET 1)

Refer to section 8.5, Chapter 8 of this TP.

22.5 Ship Management, level 1 (Examination Code: SM 1)

Refer to section 21.8, Chapter 21 of this TP.

22.6 Ship Construction and Stability, level 2 (Examination Code: SCS 2)

Refer to section 21.9, Chapter 21 of this TP.

22.7 General Ship Knowledge, level 1 (Examination Code: GSK 1)

  1. The examination consist of multiple-choice questions.
  2. The following open-book resources will be allowed in the examination room:
    1. FAO/ILO/IMO Code of safety for fishermen and fishing vessels, and
    2. Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals Regulations.
  3. The examination is of a two hours duration.
  4. The examination is based upon:
Subject Knowledge required
Competence: Ensure safety
Prevent accident Safe working practices

 Need for accident prevention , those aspect not covered by applicable Marine Emergency Duty course; Ability to use the FAO/ILO/IMO Code of safety for Fishermen and Fishing vessels; Knowledge of the Safe Working Practice Regulations, as applied to fishing vessels; Safety procedures for confined and enclosed spaces; Safety procedures for hazardous materials.

Safety for specific types of fishing

 Precautions to be taken for fishing operations; Trawling and Dragging safety; Trolling safety; Packing safety; Trap fishing safety; Seining Safety; Gillnetting safety; Dive fishing safety.

Provide familiarization and training

 Ability to conduct boat and fire drills; To be aware of the captain’s responsibilities concerning the safety of the crew members; Onboard familiarization and safety training of new crew members with vessel’s equipment and safety procedures as required by the Marine Personnel regulations; knowledge of MED requirements for crew members of fishing vessels.
Competence: Ensure compliance with pollution-prevention requirements
Prevent pollution Knowledge of the precautions to be taken during fueling; Knowledge of the statutory requirements to report pollution incidents; Precautions to be taken to prevent pollution of the marine environment by oil, garbage or other pollutant; Take appropriate action in response to pollution incidents onboard and found at sea; Ability to use the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals Regulations.
Competence: Fishing vessel power plants
Machinery and engineering Basic knowledge of operating principles of marine power plants and vessel’s auxiliary machinery; General knowledge of marine engineering terms.
Vessel Electrical systems Basic knowledge of electrical systems less than 50 volts and electrical systems of 50 volts and over.
Competence: Catch handling and stowage
Stowage & securing of the catch & fishing gear Knowledge of safe practices for stowage and securing of the catch and of various fishing gear.
Loading & discharging operations Rigging

The functioning and care of deck machinery; Standing and running gear pertaining to fishing vessel; Purposes and construction of the various parts of a boom; Stresses on the various parts of a boom system during operation; Top, lower boom safely, securing boom for sea; Safe use of all gears; Understanding of Safe working load.

Competence: Comply with regulatory requirements
Certificates and documents Understanding of ship’s plans and specifications; Knowledge of documents and required certificates on a fishing vessel, their limits and their validity; Knowledge of records keeping requirements; Knowledge of statutory requirements touching the crewing, the inspection of the vessel and the required equipment; preparation of the vessel for inspection and surveys; Established procedures on board the vessel.

22.8 Simulated Electronic Navigation, Operation level (Examination Code: SIM I)

Refer to section 15.12, Chapter 15 of this TP.

22.9 Oral examination on General Seamanship (Examination Code: FM 2-O)

  1. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge outlined in this oral examination syllabus by appropriate responses, anticipations and reactions to a range of routine, non-routine and contingency scenarios as presented by the examiner, from the perspective of the duties and responsibilities associated to the validity of the Fishing Master, Second Class certificate, as set out in section 22.2 of this chapter.
  2. The examination is of an unlimited duration.
  3. The examination is based upon:
Subject Knowledge required
Competence: Communications
Lifesaving and distress signals Recognition and knowledge of the meanings of distress signals contained in the Collision regulations; Recognition and knowledge of the meanings of the lifesaving and distress signals contained in the International Code of Signals.
Competence: Manoeuvre the vessel
Ship-Handling in various conditions Basic knowledge of manoeuvring and handling a fishing vessel; Practical manoeuvres for berthing, unberthing, during fishing operations; Effect of wind, tide and current; Towing and being towed, grounding, bilging, damaged condition, manoeuvring in channels, rivers and confined waters, anchoring and weighing anchor, manoeuvring in close proximity to other ships.
Competence: Meteorology
Weather forecasts & Meteorological warning systems Knowledge of the importance of weather forecasts; Ability to consult weather forecasts; Take into account weather forecast when making voyage planning; Take into account actual and forecasted weather to pursue or interrupt fishing activities and to return to home port or seek shelter; Awareness of Environment Canada weather warnings and how they are transmitted.
Meteorology Weather reports and their use; elementary knowledge of weather systems, high and low pressure areas and frontals.
Competence: Ensure safety and response to emergencies
Safe working practices Practical knowledge of safe working practices aboard fishing vessels; Knowledge of the Code of Safe Working Practices as it applies to fishing vessels; Awareness of the content and practices described in the Small Fishing Vessel Safety Manual (TP 10038); Awareness of the content and practices described in the Manual of Safety and Health for fishermen, (TP 1283).
Maintain seaworthiness in
heavy weather 		Precautions to be taken before the onset of heavy weather such as closing and securing of watertight hatches, fish scuttles, doors and portholes, lowering and securing weights onboard, ensuring that freeing arrangements are functional, etc; How to prevent water ingress and flooding; Necessary monitoring on a vessel caught in heavy weather, such as water detection in compartments; Actions to be taken in case of water ingress or vessel becoming disabled; Practical considerations of boat handling in heavy weather; How to prevent ice accretion; Actions to be taken if ice starts to accumulate on a vessel.
Competence: Ensure safety and response to emergencies
Respond to emergencies Master’s responsibilities in emergencies such as fire, collision, flooding, grounding, man overboard, vessel’s evacuation, etc; Rescuing persons and assisting vessel & aircraft in distress.
Competence: Maintain an adequate stability
Practical stability and use of stability information Practical use of stability data supplied to fishing vessels; Understanding of ship’s plans and specifications; Effect of adding, removing, transferring, raising, lowering or suspending weights on stability; the free surface effect in tanks; The change of stability during the voyage; an appreciation of the meaning and characteristics of stiff and tender ships; effects of reduction in freeboard on stability and seaworthiness.
Maintain stability during fishing operations, and in adverse weather Fishing operations and stowage method

The dangerous effect of external forces from fishing gear and other gear when catching obstructions on the sea bed or when gear is acting on a high point in the vessel; The use of division bulkheads in fish holds; Effect of carrying fish in bulk; The dangerous effects of carrying fish on deck; Danger of overloading.

Adverse weather

Effect of water on deck including free surface effect; The effect of ice accretion on stability; Understanding the use, effect and risks of anti-rolling devices such as paravane stabilizers and anti-rolling tanks.
Competence: Ensure compliance with pollution-prevention requirements
Prevent pollution Knowledge of the precautions to be taken during fueling; Knowledge of the statutory requirements to report pollution incidents; Precautions to be taken to prevent pollution of the marine environment by oil, garbage or other pollutant; Take appropriate action in response to pollution incidents onboard and found at sea.
Competence: Conduct safe navigation
Responsibilities and duties Appreciate master’s overall responsibilities; Duties and responsibilities of the master of a small vessel as required by the Canada Shipping Act; Master’s duties on taking over and relinquishing command; Preparation of the vessel for inspection and surveys.

Maintenance

 Maintenance of deck gear and structure (not including nets and other gear specific to a particular type of ship).
Maintain a safe navigational watch OOW responsibilities, duties and related tasks; Action of the officer of the watch in emergencies at sea and in port; Maintenance of a proper deck log concerning navigation progress, electronic instrument use and unusual occurrences; Common steering procedures, their purpose and how to put them into effect; use of azimuth circle, pelorus or any selected method of taking a bearing; Familiarity with changing over between automatic and hand steering, emergency steering (referring to operator’s manual); reading bearings and headings; Principles to be observed in keeping a navigational watch; Knowledge of the Collision regulations.

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Date modified:
2010-01-21