The document provides guidance for ships navigating in fishing areas near Ningbo, China. It describes the busy maritime traffic and complex fishing methods in the region. It advises ships to (1) maintain safe distances from fishing vessels, especially when nets are being deployed or retrieved, (2) pay close attention to fishing vessel lights to identify net positions and avoid entanglement, and (3) enhance lookouts and reduce speed when transiting fishing concentrated areas. Specific fishing methods like trawling, drift nets, and purse seining are illustrated and ships are advised to remain clear of the fishing vessels and nets. Good practices for merchant ships transiting the area are also outlined.
The document provides guidance for ships navigating in fishing areas near Ningbo, China. It describes the busy maritime traffic and complex fishing methods in the region. It advises ships to (1) maintain safe distances from fishing vessels, especially when nets are being deployed or retrieved, (2) pay close attention to fishing vessel lights to identify net positions and avoid entanglement, and (3) enhance lookouts and reduce speed when transiting fishing concentrated areas. Specific fishing methods like trawling, drift nets, and purse seining are illustrated and ships are advised to remain clear of the fishing vessels and nets. Good practices for merchant ships transiting the area are also outlined.
The document provides guidance for ships navigating in fishing areas near Ningbo, China. It describes the busy maritime traffic and complex fishing methods in the region. It advises ships to (1) maintain safe distances from fishing vessels, especially when nets are being deployed or retrieved, (2) pay close attention to fishing vessel lights to identify net positions and avoid entanglement, and (3) enhance lookouts and reduce speed when transiting fishing concentrated areas. Specific fishing methods like trawling, drift nets, and purse seining are illustrated and ships are advised to remain clear of the fishing vessels and nets. Good practices for merchant ships transiting the area are also outlined.
The document provides guidance for ships navigating in fishing areas near Ningbo, China. It describes the busy maritime traffic and complex fishing methods in the region. It advises ships to (1) maintain safe distances from fishing vessels, especially when nets are being deployed or retrieved, (2) pay close attention to fishing vessel lights to identify net positions and avoid entanglement, and (3) enhance lookouts and reduce speed when transiting fishing concentrated areas. Specific fishing methods like trawling, drift nets, and purse seining are illustrated and ships are advised to remain clear of the fishing vessels and nets. Good practices for merchant ships transiting the area are also outlined.
stream net, submarine string and small purse seining net. A brief
introduction on the fishing method that has impact to safe
navigation:
(1) Trawling
There are mainly two kinds of trawling methods, twin trawler
(Diagram A) and single trawler (Diagram B).
Diagram A – Twin trawler
Twin trawling refers to two separate fishing vessels, dragging in a
fixed distance corresponding the hanging fishing nets. The trawl
is 400-500 meters in length, deep into the water, trawl speed under
normal weather conditions 3-4 knots. Shooting and hauling the net usually during night hours or near daybreak, when the crew will be
busy on the deck, with deck lights shining on them.The lights and
shapes for trawling is as follows:
① by daytime, a shape consisting of two cones with their apexes
together in a vertical line one above the other near the top of
the mast;
② by night, two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being
green and the lower white, and side navigational lights at the
aft masthead, and stern light;
In addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph②
③ when shooting their net, two white lights in a vertical line;
④ when hauling their net, one white light over one red light in a
vertical line.
A single trawler is a fishing vessel alone, dragged a fish net using
side and stern tow. Trawling speed is approximately 4-6 knots. The
identification mark coincides with the double trawling method.
Diagram B – Single trawler
Advised action: For double fishing trawling vessels, your vessel is to maintain from
their stern no less than 1 nautical mile and by no less than 0.5
nautical miles on each side. Your vessel is to maintain safe distance
when crossing the fishing vessel’s bow and is prohibited to cut
across the middle of a double fishing trawling vessel operation. For
single drag fishing trawling vessel, your vessel should take the same
precaution and avoidance action as per double trawling fishing
vessels.
The vessel is to pay attention and avoid the side of the fishing
trawling vessel, especially when the vessel is retrieving or casting
net, do expect sudden and frequent change of course. We
recommended your vessel keep a minimum distance of 0.5 nautical
miles away from the fishing trawling vessel.
(2) Drift net fishing
Drift net fishing (Diagram C) is expanded vertical mesh net cast in
water, having a wide area of operation, from one to several nautical
miles in diameter. The net is mark with buoys and flags, and flag
pole with flashing light for night operation. One end of the net going
downstream direction, is attach to the bow of the fishing trawler. The
bow of the fishing trawler marks the direction and position of the
fishing. The fishing vessel and the fishing net are drifting based on
the wind direction. The means to identify driftnet is a column buoy,
buoy and/or flag, and flag pole with flash lights at night on the
calmer sea surface. The top surface of the pontoon or buoy, and
fishing vessel can be detected by the radar, forming almost into a
straight line on the screen.
Diagram C – Drift net
Advised action:
Your vessel should maintain at least 0.5 nautical miles away from
this fishing trawler, and is prohibited from sailing close to the fishing
trawler bow, and maintain at least 1.0 nautical mile away from the
fishing trawler when the driftnet has been cast.
In the event, that your vessel is in close proximity of the drift net, the
vessel should immediately stop all engines to avoid the net being
entangled on the propeller, and hopefully allow the vessel to coast
across the fishing vessel’s net using inertia. The Master or officer on
watch should maneuver with caution, using the vessel’s inertia to
bring the vessel to a stop position.
(3) Purse seine fishing
Purse seine fishing (Diagram D) is a method using a long strip of net
to surround a school of fish. It usually consists of one casting vessel,
two lighting vessels and a fishing vessel for transport purpose.
The net length ranges from 980-1200 meters, and covers
approximately 350m diameter. Purse seine fishing can be identified
with a vertical display of an all-round red light above an all-round
white light in vertical, and in the direction of the fishing net, a
network shows a white light indicating the net position.
Advised action:
Vessels should keep a minimum safe distance 0.5 nautical miles
from the upstream direction of the purse seine fishing trawler.
Diagram D – Purse seine
(4) Stretch net fishing
The time of stretch net fishing is determined by the tide and
current. In general, fishing vessels place their nets around neap tide and retrieve them around spring tide, the duration lasts about 12 days. Exercise areas of these fishing vessels are not fixed, in the first half of the year they mostly operate in the area from 28°N to 32N, 122°E to 124°E, in the second half of the year from 30°N to 32°N, 124°E to 126°E. Advised action: Cargo vessels should learn the fishing vessels net areas by means of AIS net position indicators. Collision avoidance are to be taken at earliest opportunity. It is suggested to either maintain distance from this type of fishing nets or sail through between the net areas (the width of in between areas will be approximately 1000 meters).
(5) Glaring fishing
There are fishing vessels fit with glare device shining upon the surrounding sea surface to attract catch. Fishing vessels like this operate separately and travel in groups. The illumination can be extremely powerful during group operation. Commonly the fishing vessels stay still or drift with the current, they are easy to be spotted even outside a distance of 12 nm. It may interfere with vessels’ lookout to identify proper lighting signals because of fishing vessel’s glaring light. Advised action: Cargo vessels should enhance to use long and short range of radar observation. Analysis of fishing vessels’ operation situation is to be made at earliest opportunity. Adjust vessels’ route as appropriate and avoid entering fishing vessels’ concentrated areas. Good Practices by Merchant Ships
Navigation and navigation methods
1. Pay attention to and implement relevant safety information letters issued by the flag state government on navigation and operation habits of fishing boats along the coast of Ningbo; 2. Pay attention to and implement the safety information issued by the maritime administration and delivered by ship agency of destination port via e-mail and other forms; 3. Navigate within the main recommended coastal routes along the coast as much as possible; 4. Pass clear of fishing boats at a range of more than one nautical mile as much as possible; 5. When navigating through a dense area of fishing boats, the control should be switched to manual, and the captain should be in command on the bridge; 6. Do not occupy VHF channel 16 for a long time. If necessary, calls should be established on other channels; 7. Do not overly rely on navigation equipment and AIS device for navigation, make full visual observation and radar observation; 8. While on duty, avoid checking mobile phones, chatting and things irrelevant to the watch.
Signal lights and shapes
9. Master signal lights, shapes and ship characteristics of Chinese fishing boats in various operating modes as much as possible; 10. When seeing a fishing boat or noticing successive flashlights from a fishing boat, sound whistle and light searchlight several times at the fishing boat to signal that someone is on the bridge on duty, and the fishing boat has been seen; 11. After establishing communication with a fishing boat, if the fishing boat turns the searchlight to the side or to the back, it means that there is fishing net in the direction, and seafarers should avoid the area as much as possible while navigating.
Coordination and avoiding
12. The speed of the fishing boats in operation is about 3-4 knots. Avoiding actions should be made as early as possible and with an angle as large as possible; 13. In addition to calling via the VHF channel 16, whistle, flashlight and other means should be used to draw the attention of the fishing boat ahead and nearby; 14. When avoiding fishing boats engaged in fishing operations, avoid the nets as much as possible as well; 15. Make full use of radar, AIS device and other equipment, or check the effectiveness of avoiding actions through visual observation to ensure a safe passing.
Rescue of danger 16. In the event of a dangerous accident, dial 12395 as soon as possible to report the dangerous situation, including the name of the ship in distress, casualties, damage of the ship, oil pollution, weather and sea conditions, etc.; 17. After a dangerous accident occurs, the first priority should be the rescue of the human life. Seafarers should give all-out assistance, and escape is strictly prohibited; 18. When a distress or a help call is received, seafarers should stop the ship in time to rescue people in distress, and ask nearby ships to participate; 19. If a person is found in the water, lifebuoy, life jacket, and insulation suit shall be tossed in time, and the rescue boat/raft should be released if necessary.
