S.I. No. 48/1993:

MERCHANT SHIPPING (MUSTERS) (FISHING VESSELS) REGULATIONS, 1993.

MERCHANT SHIPPING (MUSTERS) (FISHING VESSELS) REGULATIONS, 1993.

I, DAVID ANDREWS, Minister for the Marine, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 19 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1992 (No. 2 of 1992), hereby make the following Regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Musters) (Fishing Vessels) Regulations, 1993 and shall come into operation on the 17th day of February, 1993.

2. In these Rules "crew", in relation to a fishing vessel, means all persons on board the vessel.

3. (1) The skipper of a fishing vessel of 16.5 metres or more in length--

( a ) shall, when an emergency occurs involving the vessel, allot such special duties as fall to be carried out in relation to the emergency to such members of the crew as he may determine and shall order each member of the crew to go to such position on the vessel (referred to subsequently in these Regulations as "an emergency station") as he may determine, and

( b ) shall prepare a list (referred to subsequently in these Regulations as "a muster list") specifying in so far as is practicable having regard to the emergencies that may occur--

(i) the special duties aforesaid and the members of the crew to whom they will be allotted under paragraph (a) of this Regulation,

(ii) the emergency stations on the vessel and the particular members of the crew who will be required under the said paragraph (a) to go to each such station, and

(iii) the signal which will be given to indicate that the skipper has ordered the crew to abandon the vessel.

(2) The special duties aforesaid shall, in appropriate cases, include--

(i) the preparation and launching or operation of life-boats, life-rafts and other life-saving appliances, and

(ii) the operation of fire-fighting appliances.

(3) A muster list shall be prepared before the vessel concerned goes to sea, shall be signed and dated by the skipper of the vessel and shall be revised or replaced by another muster list whenever the membership of the crew changes.

(4) The muster list of a vessel shall be displayed in the crew's quarters and on the bridge of the vessel at all times when members of the crew are on board the vessel.

4. In the event of an emergency involving a fishing vessel of 16.5 metres or more in length, the skipper shall ensure that an audible signal is given on the vessel consisting of--

( a ) 7 or more short blasts, followed by one long blast, on a whistle or siren or other device, and

( b ) in every vessel of 45 metres or more in length the signals made on the whistle or siren shall be supplemented by alarm bells or other means of warning which shall be electrically operated and which shall be capable of being operated from the bridge.

5. ( a ) On a fishing vessel of 16.5 metres or more in length the crew shall be mustered at the beginning of each voyage and at intervals of not more than 14 days thereafter during the voyage and, if persons become employed during the voyage as members of the crew (whether in addition to or in substitution for existing members of the crew) and their number exceeds one quarter of the number of the new crew, not more than 48 hours thereafter if the ship is then at sea.

( b ) A muster under paragraph (a) of this Regulation shall be for the purpose of instructing, training, drilling and testing the crew in relation to the special duties allotted to them under Regulation 3 (1) (a) of these Regulations and in relation to life-saving and fire-fighting.

( c ) On a fishing vessel of 16.5 metres or more in length--

(i) in case the vessel is less than 75 metres in length, any class C life-boat or inflatable life-boat shall be swung out during each muster and, if it is equipped with an engine, the engine shall be started and run, and

(ii) in case the vessel is 75 metres or more in length, every life-boat shall be swung out during each muster at least and, if it is reasonable and practicable to do so, be lowered into the water during musters at intervals of not more than 4 months.

6. The skipper of a fishing vessel of not less than 12 metres in length but less than 16.5 metres in length shall ensure that the crew are instructed, trained and drilled in the use of the life-saving and fire-fighting equipment on the vessel and that each member of the crew is aware of the location on the vessel of such equipment. The instruction and training aforesaid shall be given, before the vessel commences a voyage with a new crew or new member of the crew and, thereafter, at monthly intervals during the voyage and whenever the ship commences a voyage more than one month after the latest time when such training and instruction was given to the crew.

7. ( a ) Life-saving and fire-fighting equipment on a fishing vessel of 16.5 metres or more in length shall be inspected by the skipper whenever the crew are mustered pursuant to Regulation 5 of these Regulations.

( b ) Life-saving and fire-fighting equipment on a fishing vessel of 12 metres or more in length but less than 16.5 metres in length shall be inspected by the skipper at intervals of not more than one month.

( c ) Where necessary, the skipper of a fishing vessel shall arrange for maintenance or repairs to the life-saving and fire-fighting equipment on board to be carried out as soon as may be after an inspection under paragraph (a) or (b) of this Regulation.

8. The skipper of a fishing vessel of 16.5 metres or more in length shall record in the logbook of the vessel--

( a ) particulars of each muster held pursuant to Regulation 5 of these Regulations and of the instruction, training, drilling and testing to which the muster related,

( b ) particulars of each occasion on which the life-boats are swung out or lowered into the water,

( c ) particulars of each inspection of the life-saving and fire-fighting equipment,

( d ) where a muster is required by these Regulations to be held on the vessel and is not so held, the reasons for the failure to hold the muster.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 17th day of February, 1993.

DAVID ANDREWS.

Minister for the Marine.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The Order introduces Regulations for fishing vessels which require the holding of regular musters, the preparation for emergencies, the regular inspection and maintenance of life-saving and fire-fighting equipment and the recording of particulars of each in vessels' logbooks.