### Fisheries Protection Ordinance 《漁業保護條例》

21. Registration of former trawlers or their replacements
(1) An application under this section for registration under section 14—
(a) may only be made by the owner of a local fishing vessel in respect of which there is a valid operating licence; and
(b) must be accompanied by a certificate of eligibility for registration.
(2) An application under this section must be made in accordance with such terms and time limit (if any) as may be specified in the certificate of eligibility for registration.
(3) The Director must not register a vessel on application under subsection (1) unless the Director is satisfied that trawling with the use or aid of the vessel in respect of which the application is made is unlikely. (Amended 22 of 2020 s. 7)
(4) In this section—

certificate of eligibility for registration (合資格登記證明書) means a certificate of eligibility for registration issued by the Director in relation to a trawler—
(a) in respect of which there was a valid operating licence on 15 June 2012; and (Amended 22 of 2020 s. 7)
(b) affected by the trawl ban introduced by the Fisheries Protection (Specification of Apparatus) (Amendment) Notice 2011 (L.N. 45 of 2011).

21A. Registration of former trawlers with no valid operating licence on 15 June 2012 or their replacements—certificate of eligibility
(1) This section applies if there was, on 15 June 2012, a trawler in respect of which there was no valid operating licence (original vessel

### Fisheries Protection Ordinance 《漁業保護條例》

22. Grounds for cancellation of registration and return of certificate
(1) The Director must cancel the registration of a registered vessel if the Director—
(a) is satisfied that—
(i) the vessel is dispatched permanently from Hong Kong;
(ii) the vessel is lost or destroyed;
(iii) the operating licence of the vessel is cancelled;
(iv) the vessel ceases to be a vessel designed and equipped to be used primarily for fishing; or
(b) receives a written notice to cancel the registration from the certificate holder.
(2) The Director may cancel the registration of a registered vessel if the Director is satisfied that the registration was made as a result of a false representation of any fact made by the applicant or an unlawful act of the applicant.
(3) The certificate holder in relation to a registered vessel must notify the Director by notice in writing within 14 days after the occurrence of any event set out in subsection (1)(a)(i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) and at the same time deliver to the Director the certificate of registration issued in respect of the vessel.
(4) A person who without reasonable excuse contravenes subsection (3) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 3.

23. Notice to be sent and representations
(1) If the Director intends to cancel a registration by reason of section 22(1)(a) or (2), the Director must send a notice to the certificate holder.
(2) A notice sent under subsection (1) must state—
(a) the fact that the Director intends to cancel the registration;
(b) the reasons for the intended cancellation; and
(c) that the certificate holder may make written representations to the Director within 21 days from the date of the notice.

24. Cancellation of registration
(1) If, having considered any representations referred to in section 23(2)(c), the Director decides to cancel a registration, the Director must send a notice of cancellation to the certificate holder.
(2) If no appeal is lodged under section 33, the certificate holder must, within 21 days from the date of sending of a notice under subsection (1), return the certificate of registration to the Director.
(3) A person who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with subsection (2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 3.
(4) Subject to Part 8, the Director’s decision under subsection (1) takes effect 21 days after the notice is sent under that subsection.

### Fisheries Protection Ordinance 《漁業保護條例》

25. Issue and renewal of research fishing permit
(1) The Director may on application issue a research fishing permit to any person for fishing with the use or aid of a local fishing vessel within the waters of Hong Kong for the purpose of scientific research, environmental monitoring or related purposes.
(2) A research fishing permit must contain the following information—
(a) the name of the permit holder;
(b) the certificate of ownership number of the vessel in respect of which the permit is issued;
(c) the engine power of the vessel;
(d) the maximum number of ancillary vessels it may have;
(e) the expiry date of the permit, which must not be later than the expiry of a period of 3 years after the date of issue or renewal;
(f) any conditions imposed under subsection (3);
(g) any other vessel particulars or other information as the Director thinks fit.
(3) The Director may impose such conditions in a research fishing permit as the Director thinks fit, including a condition that fishing with the use or aid of the vessel in respect of which the permit is issued or renewed is limited to such—
(a) areas;
(b) periods or dates; or
(c) fishing methods and fishing gear,

as may be specified in the permit.
(4) The Director may on application renew a research fishing permit.
(5) An application for renewal of a research fishing permit must be made to the Director not later than 1 month before the expiry date of the permit.
(6) An application under this section made by a person who is not the owner of the vessel must be accompanied by a written consent of the owner of the vessel.
(7) If the Director has not renewed a research fishing permit on an application for renewal under subsection (4) on the expiry date of the permit, the permit is to, unless sooner cancelled under this Ordinance, continue in force according to its conditions until the permit holder is notified either that the permit is renewed or that the Director has refused to renew it, as the case may be.