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

14. Registration of local fishing vessels
(1) The Director may, on application—
(a) by the owner of a local fishing vessel in respect of which there was a valid operating licence on 15 June 2012;
(b) by the owner of a local fishing vessel—
(i) acquired or constructed after 15 June 2012 pursuant to an Approval-in-Principle Letter issued by the Director of Marine to acquire or construct a fishing vessel which was valid on 15 June 2012; and
(ii) in respect of which there is a valid operating licence; or
(c) by the owner of a local fishing vessel under section 14A(2), 14B(8), 19(1), 21(1) or 21A(8),

register the vessel for the purposes of this Ordinance and issue a certificate of registration to the applicant. (Amended 22 of 2020 s. 4)
(2) An application under subsection (1)(a) or (b) may only be made within 12 months after 15 June 2012. (Amended 22 of 2020 s. 4)
(3) Despite subsection (2), an application under subsection (1)(a) or (b) may be made at a later time if the applicant shows to the satisfaction of the Director that— (Amended 22 of 2020 s. 4)
(a) the failure to make the application within the time specified in subsection (2) was not due to the applicant’s default; and
(b) the applicant exercised due diligence to ensure that the application would be made as soon as practicable after 15 June 2012. (Amended 22 of 2020 s. 4)
(4) A certificate of registration issued under this section must contain the name of the certificate holder and the information referred to in section 13(2)(b), (c), (d) and (e).
(5) If the Director refuses an application under subsection (1) or section 14A(2), 14B(8), 19(1), 21(1) or 21A(8), the Director must send a notice of refusal to the applicant within 14 days after the date of the decision. (Replaced 22 of 2020 s. 4)
(6) In this section—
Approval-in-Principle Letter (原則批准書) means a letter issued by the Director of Marine which approves in principle a proposal to acquire or construct a fishing vessel.

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

14B. Registration of fishing vessels with no valid operating licence on 15 June 2012 or their replacements—provisional approval
(1) This section applies if—
(a) there was, on 15 June 2012, a fishing vessel in respect of which there was no valid operating licence (original vessel

15. Engine power and number of ancillary vessels must not be exceeded
No fishing (other than an activity specified in Schedule 2) with the use or aid of a registered vessel or any of its ancillary vessels may be carried out within the waters of Hong Kong if—
(a) the engine power of the vessel; or
(b) the maximum number of ancillary vessels the vessel has,
exceeds that specified in the certificate of registration in relation to the registered vessel.

16. Conditions regulating fishing
(1) The Director may impose any conditions in accordance with which fishing with the use or aid of a registered vessel may be carried out as the Director thinks fit, including but not limited to—
(a) the area within which any fishing may be carried out, which may include any fisheries protection areas;
(b) the period during which any fishing in any such area may be carried out; and
(c) the fishing methods that may be employed and the fishing gear that may be used on the vessel.
(2) Nothing in this section is to be construed as enabling the Director to impose any condition that is inconsistent with any provision of this Ordinance.

17. Alteration to conditions of registration
(1) The Director may, either on the Director’s own volition or on application by a registered vessel’s certificate holder, add, remove or amend any conditions imposed under section 16 in relation to that vessel.
(2) If the Director adds, removes or amends any condition on the Director’s own volition, the Director must—
(a) send a notice to the certificate holder notifying the addition, removal or amendment;
(b) update the register accordingly; and 
(c) issue a new certificate of registration to the certificate holder within 14 days of the update.
(3) An addition, removal or amendment of a condition under subsection (1) becomes effective on the date specified in the new certificate of registration and the original certificate ceases to be valid on the same date.
(4) If the Director refuses an application under subsection (1), the Director must send a notice of refusal to the applicant within 14 days after the date of the decision. (Replaced 22 of 2020 s. 6)

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

18. Refusal of registration
The Director must refuse to register a vessel under section 14 if—
(a) the applicant fails to produce for inspection a valid operating licence in respect of the vessel;
(b) the applicant fails to produce the vessel (including its ancillary vessels) in respect of which the application has been made for inspection on request; or
(c) the Director is not satisfied that the vessel in respect of which the application is made—
(i) is designed and equipped to be used primarily for fishing; and
(ii) is likely to be used for fishing which will not contravene any provision of this Ordinance.

19. Registration of replacement vessels
(1) The Director may register a local fishing vessel under section 14 in respect of which there is a valid operating licence on application by the owner of the vessel under this section if the application is supported by—
(a) a notice given by a certificate holder in relation to a vessel the registration of which has been cancelled within 2 years before the application by virtue of section 22(1)(a) or a notice received under section 22(1)(b); or
(b) a notice given by the certificate holder in relation to a registered vessel to cancel the registration of the registered vessel.
(2) The registration of a registered vessel referred to in subsection (1)(b) is cancelled on the registration of the local fishing vessel for which the application for registration is made.
(3) The engine power of the local fishing vessel referred to in subsection (1) must not be greater than—
(a) the engine power of the vessel the registration of which has been cancelled; or
(b) (if the application is supported by 2 notices) the total engine power of the 2 vessels the registration of which has been cancelled.

20. Change of ownership
(1) If there is a change of ownership of a registered vessel, the certificate holder must send a notice of change of ownership and return the certificate of registration to the Director within 14 days of the change.
(2) The new owner of a registered vessel in respect of which a notice has been given under subsection (1) may apply to the Director within 14 days of the change of ownership for the issue of a new certificate of registration.
(3) On receipt of a notice given under subsection (1) and an application made under subsection (2), the Director is to amend the register to reflect the change of ownership and issue a new certificate of registration to the applicant.