Operating a commercial fishing business is attractive for many reasons. You can work for yourself doing something you love and make a living at the same time. However, getting started requires documentation that makes it legal for you to catch fish and sell them. It’s very important that you have the proper boat documentation on board at all times to prevent the risk of legal trouble and fines. Not sure where to start? Here’s a breakdown of the documents you need for your commercial fishing business.
Regulations Regarding Documents
There are two governing bodies that play a role in the regulations regarding what type of paperwork you must have to operate a commercial fishing business. They include the National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Because commercial fishing is a huge part of the American economy, the regulations can be quite strict. In addition to having all of the required safety gear on board, you must also have all of the required documentation on board at all times.
What are the Criteria?
Documentation is required by the Coast Guard for any vessel that measures larger than 5 net tons, is owned by a United States citizen, and participates in fishing trade or commerce activities. This documentation is necessary for any fishing that occurs in United States waters or the Exclusive Economic Zone, or the EEZ. The EEZ begins at the baseline of a territorial sea and extends 200 nautical miles out to sea. This includes parts of Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.
What Documents are Needed?
All documents are required to be on board at all times. If you are missing one or more, you won’t be allowed to launch your commercial fishing vessel. Keeping duplicates available allows you to easily replace lost or damaged paperwork. Order duplicates anytime you need to so that you aren’t stuck without a day’s pay because you’re waiting on paperwork. Here’s what documents you need to have:
- Coast Guard certificate – must be renewed every year
- Transaction documents – bill of sale, a claim of lien,
- Vessel mortgage
- Transfer of interest
- Documents that are relevant to activities the boat is used for
Why Have the Correct Documents?
As mentioned above, you won’t be allowed to launch your vessel if you are missing any paperwork. For that reason, it’s best to have a dedicated space for it on your boat where it won’t get lost, wet or otherwise damaged. Having your paperwork has many benefits, other than being able to operate your commercial fishing business. Proper documentation has tax advantages and makes it easier to get a loan to finance your fishing vessel. On a practical level, it’s much easier to get around in the water if you have your documents handy. Entering foreign waters and then back into the United States is quite difficult, but having the right documentation makes the process simpler for everyone involved.
Are you ready to work on gathering the right boat documentation to operate your commercial fishing business? You’ll find all you need online at the Commercial Fishing Permits Center.
