EFCA Servicedesk
EFCA Servicedesk
Email
servicedesk@efca.europa.eu
4.01 EU Fleet Register
Agency responsible
Data group
04. Fishery information
Coast Guard Functions with access
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Maritime Ship and Port Security
Maritime Customs Activities
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Maritime Search and Rescue
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Status of implementation
Available
Dissemination channels
Agency web interface
Point(s) of contact
Last reviewed on
Last saved on
Description
The Fleet Register is a database where all the fishing vessels flying the flag of a Member State have to be registered in accordance with Community legislation.
The Union Fishing Fleet Register, commonly named "Fleet Register", is an effective and comprehensive tool for implementing the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and is used by Commission services as well as various governmental and non-governmental bodies all over the world.
The EU Fleet Register is a database where all the fishing vessels flying the flag of a Member State have to be registered in accordance with European Union legislation. Any changes in the status of a fishing vessel, for example it has been scrapped, need to be registered by Member States in the fleet register.
Data elements
The data contained in the Fleet Register can be classified in two different categories:
General Data
- Registration information: event type and dates (modification, entry, exit, destruction)
- Vessel identification: vessel name, registration port, external marking, unique vessel Identifier number (IMO number), international radio call sign, MMSI.
- Technical Information: length, tonnage, engine, construction, equipment on board.
- Fishing Gears: main and auxiliary gears
- Management information: Fishing license, fleet segment, entry into service, owner, operator
Additional Vessel Data
- Vessel identifiers used by third parties (i.e. ICCAT number etc…)
- Additional Tech. information: carrying tonnage, dimensions, speed
- Main & auxiliary engine info.: mark, model, propeller type
- Picture
- Vessel equipment details: communication and VMS , fish processing and fish holds, fuel tank, auxiliary boats/skiffs
- Other Admin. Info and place of construction
- Storage information: fish hold and freezing capacity
- Crew information: size
- Vessel direct contact details
- Additional contact details: Master/Agent, construction company/registration authority,
The Fleet Register provides information on all vessels along with their description of any changes that have occurred in their lifetimes since the creation of the Fleet Register in 1989.
Legal basis
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/218 of 6 February 2017 on the Union fishing fleet register; Member States shall record the information on ownership, on vessel and gear characteristics and on the activity of Union fishing vessels flying their flag and submit to the Commission such information in accordance with Article 24(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013. The Commission shall maintain a Union fishing fleet register containing the information received from the Member States.
Article 24(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 provides that Member States send to the Commission the information on ownership and on vessel and gear characteristics of Union fishing vessels flying their flag, those data should also be included in this Regulation.
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2930/86 of 22 September 1986 defines the characteristics for fishing vessels (OJ L 274, 25.9.1986, p. 1).
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 of 8 April 2011 lays down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (OJ L 112, 30.4.2011, p. 1).
Scope and source of data
The Union Fleet Register contains the data elements for the Union fishing fleet meaning all fishing vessels flying a Member State flag. 'Fishing vessel' means any vessel equipped for commercial exploitation of marine biological resources or a blue fin tuna trap. Currently there are 81171 vessel entries (Mar 2020).
Member States collect, validate and record the data for their own vessels in their national fishing fleet register. The Member States submit to the Commission any event concerning fishing vessels introduced in the national fishing fleet register no later than at the end of the working day when the event has been fully registered.
The main objective of the Fleet Register is to enable any Union fishing vessel with key characteristics to be identified, with the aim of:
- Monitoring the implementation of capacity management measures.
- Being a source of information for the officials of the Commission and Member States in charge of control and inspection.
- Serving as an accurate source of statistical data on the European fishing fleet.
- Serving as a reference database for vessels characteristics for other applications that manage information on fishing vessels.
Technical implementation
Data is being transmitted between the Commission and the Member States based on the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) standards available on the Master Data Register page of the European Commission Fisheries website.
All transmissions are fully automated and immediate, using the transportation layer.
Conditions of access
There are two levels of access to the Union Fishing Fleet Register:
- public access (only vessel information)
- fisheries control authorities access (more extensive information including ownership information)