近期中国沿海伏季休渔结束后，商渔船碰撞风险突出，中华人民共和国海事局特发布商渔船碰撞事故防范通告及《防范商渔船碰撞安全须知（范例）》，现我们将其翻译成英文，供业内参考。

After the recent end of the summer fishing moratorium in China's coastal waters, the risk of collisions between commercial ships and fishing boats has become prominent. The Maritime Safety Administration of the People's Republic of China has specially issued a notice on preventing such collisions and the "Safety Guidelines for Preventing Collisions Between Commercial Ships and Fishing Boats". We have now translated them into English for reference by the industry.

The Notice related to Strengthen the Prevention of Collisions Between Commercial Vessels and Fishing Vessels in China’s Coastal Waters by China MSA

The seasonal fishing moratorium in China's coastal waters has successively ended. A large number of fishing vessels have sailed off intensively, leading to the navigation environment more complex and a higher risk of the collision between commercial and fishing vessels. In order to draw lessons from recent collision accidents between commercial and fishing vessels, and fully implement the main responsibility of shipping enterprises for safety production, and effectively strengthen the collision prevention activities between commercial and fishing vessels along the coast, China MSA has formulated the Safety Guidelines for Preventing Collisions Between Commercial Vessels and Fishing Vessels (Sample). Please promptly incorporate and implement it into the enterprise's safety production management.

I. Continuously Optimize Passage Plan

For vessels with destination ports in China's coastal ports or passing through China's coastal waters, before departure, the ship owner shall focus on the distribution of fishing zones in China's coastal waters, strengthen the analysis and assessment of collision risks for the voyage, and scientifically formulate the passage plan.

(I)Before Entering Waters with Dense Fishing Vessels

-Hold a navigation safety meeting to ensure all navigation on-duty personnel on the bridge are aware of the operating characteristics of fishing vessels and safety precautions for navigation in waters with dense fishing vessels. Assess collision risks, optimize collision avoidance plans, notify relevant information, and urge crew members to comply.

-Inspect and test the radar, electronic chart, Automatic Identification System (AIS), Voyage Data Recorder (VDR), Very High Frequency (VHF) radio telephone, as well as navigation lights, daylight signal and other signal equipment to ensure they are in normal working condition.

-Inspect the " main engines, auxiliary engines, steering gear, anchor windlass and the boiler" to ensure they are in good working condition; have the main engine ready for immediate use.

-Test steering modes such as manual steering (follow-up, non-follow-up), automatic steering and emergency steering to ensure the steering system works normally for emergency collision avoidance at any time.

-Arrange on-duty work reasonably and ensure at least two navigation on-duty personnel are on the bridge at any time.

(II)When Passing Through or Near Waters with Dense Fishing Vessels

-Navigation on-duty personnel on the bridge shall maintain a proper lookout using visual, auditory and all available means suitable for the current environment and situation. Fully grasp the navigation status of other vessels in the surrounding waters to make a sufficient assessment of the situation and collision risks.

-When navigating into areas with dense fishing vessels, switch automatic steering to manual steering. If the environment permits, pass at a distance of more than 1 nautical mile as far as possible and remain alert to prevent fishing vessels from suddenly accelerating, stopping or turning around due to factors such as protecting fishing nets, which may cause an urgent situation.

-Increase the number of necessary navigation on-duty personnel according to the density of surrounding fishing vessels and the intensity of navigation on-duty. If necessary, immediately notify the captain to go to the bridge.

-The captain shall formulate and issue night orders in accordance with the special alert requirements for navigation in fishing areas at night.

(III)Special Precautions

-After the end of the annual seasonal fishing moratorium, it is the period with the highest density of fishing vessel activities in China's coastal waters.

-Night is the high-incidence period for collision accidents between commercial and fishing vessels.

-Some fishing vessels at anchor at night may fail to perform on-duty tasks, display signal lights or turn on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) as required.

-Fishing net position indicators may interfere with the Automatic Identification System (AIS), radar and electronic chart display system.

-The radar echoes of some wooden fishing vessels are weak, and targets may not be identified based on radar echoes in rough sea conditions.

-When navigators hand over their duties, they shall explain navigation safety risk points such as the movements of commercial vessels and fishing vessels in the surrounding waters. If avoidance operations are in progress, the handover shall be conducted only after the avoidance operations are completed and the vessels have passed each other clearly.

II. Strengthen Coordinated Avoidance

(I) Adhere to the principle of "early, large, wide, clear" (early action, large course change, wide distance, clear passing) and maintain a minimum passing distance of more than 1 nautical mile as far as possible.

(II) If the minimum passing distance cannot be maintained at more than 1 nautical mile, call the fishing vessel via VHF Channel 16 as early as possible. If there is no response after several attempts, take the initiative to take avoidance actions and use other methods such as whistle and lights to warn at the same time.

(III) When discovering a fishing vessel that requires emergency avoidance, use the daylight signal light to flash at least 5 times and/or use at least 5 short consecutive sound signals to attract the attention of the fishing vessel. During emergency avoidance, in addition to using the rudder for avoidance, consider the coordination of the main engine to reduce speed for avoidance.

(IV) While avoiding fishing vessels, the on-duty officer shall also focus on identifying and paying attention to the movements of other commercial vessels to avoid collision risks with them, especially commercial vessels in areas with a large number of fishing vessels.

(V) In case of restricted visibility, sound signals shall be sounded in accordance with regulations, and additional personnel shall be assigned to keep a lookout if necessary.

(VI) In rough sea conditions, reduce the speed, strengthen the lookout, and strictly prevent fishing vessels from being difficult to detect in visual and radar blind areas.

(VII)Special Precautions

-During communication, fully consider the limitations of accents and language expression to ensure both parties clearly understand each other's intentions.

-If the speed of a fishing vessel is observed to be about 3 knots, the fishing vessel is often engaged in fishing operations and has limited maneuverability, so active avoidance actions shall be taken.

-Even a slight collision between a commercial vessel and a fishing vessel may cause damage or even capsizing of the fishing vessel, but the personnel on the commercial vessel may not easily notice it. When passing a fishing vessel at a short distance, carefully observe to ensure no collision or wave damage occurs.

-When a fishing vessel is very close to a commercial vessel (less than 0.5 nautical miles), some fishing vessels may suddenly make abnormal movements such as changing direction, accelerating, and cutting in front due to factors such as protecting fishing nets or traditional customs. If a fishing vessel cuts in front, it is likely that there is the fishing net of the fishing vessel in front of the own vessel's navigation path.

-Disturbed by the operation lights of fishing vessels and net position indicators, navigators may easily ignore other commercial vessels in areas with dense fishing vessel operations.

III. Make a better Emergency Rescue

(I)When a collision is unavoidable, reduce the speed as much as possible and avoid the bow of the own vessel colliding with the side of the fishing vessel.

(II)After a collision accident occurs, stop the vessel immediately, give top priority to the rescue of human lives, and make every effort to carry out rescue. Before all personnel in distress are rescued, it is strictly forbidden to abandon the search and rescue and sail away from the scene without authorization unless it seriously endangers the own safety.

(III)After a collision accident occurs, immediately report to the nearest MSA through all effective channels. The report shall include the location of the accident, the name of the vessel in distress, the number of casualties, the damage to the vessel, the weather and sea conditions, and the rescue needs. At the same time, notify the surrounding vessels and request them to participate in the rescue.

Safety Guidelines for Preventing Collisions Between Commercial Vessels and Fishing Vessels

I.               Purpose

China's coastal waters are characterized by a high density of fishing vessels and commercial vessel navigation, coupled with complex meteorological conditions, which result in prominent collision risks between commercial and fishing vessels. This guideline is formulated to comprehensively strengthen the prevention and pre-control of collision accidents, and ensure the safety of crew lives and vessel navigation.

II.             Responsibilities

2.1    Chief Navigation Officer

-Collect information related to fishing vessel-intensive areas in China's coastal waters and issue collision prevention early warnings to vessels.

-Conduct pre-employment training for captains and navigators prior to their boarding, and supervise the implementation of on-board training and compliance with relevant requirements.

2.2    Captain

-Arrange sufficient personnel for navigation watchkeeping duties.

-Provide training and guidance to navigators on collision avoidance operations between commercial and fishing vessels.

-Supervise bridge watchkeeping personnel to strictly comply with safe navigation regulations, and personally take command and maneuver the vessel when necessary.

2.3  Captain and Navigators should fully familiarize the content and requirements of this guideline, and strictly comply with it.

III.            Safety Training for Preventing Collisions Between Commercial Vessels and Fishing Vessels

3.1  When navigators take up their on-board posts, the company's Chief Navigation Officer or the vessel's captain shall strengthen training on collision prevention knowledge between commercial and fishing vessels during the navigators' on-board familiarization training.

3.2 Before the end of the annual fishing moratorium, the captain shall organize navigators to conduct training, drills, and verification assessments on collision avoidance operations between commercial and fishing vessels.

3.3 The training content shall include but not be limited to: Safety Guidelines for Commercial Vessels Navigating in China's Coastal Waters to Prevent Collisions with Fishing Vessels, maneuvering characteristics of the own vessel and fishing vessels, fishing vessel operation methods, collision accident cases involving commercial and fishing vessels, safety awareness and responsibility, and situational awareness.

3.4 The Chief Navigation Officer shall verify the implementation of on-board training, and during daily supervision, on-board inspections, remote monitoring, or internal audits of the vessel's management system, check the training effect of the captain and navigators as well as their compliance with relevant requirements.

IV.           Safety Operation Guidelines

4.1    Navigation Methods

4.1.1 Before Entering Waters with Dense Fishing Vessels

- Prior to departure, the captain shall strictly review the planned route and fully assess the risks associated with the passage plan. As far as possible, use recommended routes to formulate a reasonable route; if necessary, take a reasonable detour to avoid waters with concentrated fishing vessel operations, thereby minimizing the chance of encountering fishing vessels.

- Inspect and test navigational aids (including radar, electronic chart, GPS, AIS, VDR, VHF, navigation lights, and sound signals) as well as the main engine and steering gear to ensure they are in normal working condition.

- Arrange bridge navigation watchkeeping personnel reasonably, and ensure the bridge is staffed with sufficient navigation watchkeeping personnel at all times.

- Post safety precautions for navigation in fishing areas and corresponding response measures in a prominent location on the bridge.

- The captain shall ensure that all navigation watchkeeping personnel are familiar with the above information.

4.1.2 When Passing Through or Near Waters with Dense Fishing Vessels

- The captain and navigators shall adhere to the principle: "Safety first, detour rather than risk-taking," and avoid navigating into waters with concentrated fishing vessel operations as much as possible.

- Arrange watchkeeping personnel reasonably, and increase the number of necessary navigation watchkeeping personnel based on the density of surrounding fishing vessels and the intensity of navigation watchkeeping duties.

- During navigation and anchoring, the captain shall issue night orders in a timely manner, maintain a high level of vigilance for navigation in fishing areas, and put forward specific requirements.

- Navigation watchkeeping personnel shall strengthen watchkeeping, activate two radars, and enhance long-distance and short-distance scanning and observation. Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper watchkeeping by sight and hearing, as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions. Do not over-rely on a single navigational aid; strictly prohibit collision avoidance based solely on AIS information.

- Navigate at a safe speed, notify the engine room in advance to have the main engine on standby, and reduce speed if necessary.

- Ensure that AIS information is accurate and the system is functioning normally.

- During fog navigation, even if no fishing vessels are detected on the radar, fog signals shall be sounded in accordance with regulations.

- Prohibit fatigued watchkeeping and intoxicated watchkeeping.

- When necessary, call the captain to the bridge for command as early as possible, and avoid taking chances or being negligent. Sufficient advance notice shall be given when calling the captain, especially during night navigation, with full consideration of the impact on night vision.

4.1.3 Special Precautions

- The period immediately following the end of the annual seasonal fishing moratorium is when fishing vessel activities are most intensive in coastal waters.

- Night is a high-incidence period for collision accidents between commercial and fishing vessels, which shall be given special attention.

- Special attention shall be paid to fishing vessels at anchor at night that may fail to perform watchkeeping duties, display signal lights, or activate AIS as required. Additionally, special attention shall be paid to the interference of a large number of fishing net position indicators on the use of AIS, radar echoes, and electronic charts.

- The captain and navigators shall note that even during the fishing moratorium, some fishing vessels may still go out to sea. Watchkeeping personnel shall strengthen watchkeeping, navigate with caution, and avoid negligence.

4.2   Determination of Collision Risks

4.2.1        When approaching another vessel, the target shall be plotted on the radar at a long distance to determine the existence of collision risks as early as possible. Once the target enters the visual range, continuous observation of the other vessel's visual bearing shall be conducted.

4.2.2 If a vessel changes its course or speed, the ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aids) shall maintain a stable course and speed for at least 3 minutes to generate accurate prediction data or vectors.

4.2.3 If a fishing vessel is observed sailing at a speed of approximately 3 knots, it is usually engaged in fishing operations and has limited maneuverability. Early coordinated avoidance actions shall be taken to maintain a wide clearance, particularly to keep clear of the fishing vessel's nets.

4.3   Avoidance Actions

4.3.1        Strictly comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), and adhere to the principle of "Early, Large, Wide, Clear" (early action, large course change, wide distance, clear passing) during avoidance. Proactive and timely avoidance actions shall be taken to ensure the other vessel can clearly perceive them through sight or radar. When meeting another vessel in open waters, if conditions permit, the minimum passing distance shall not be less than 1 nautical mile to ensure clear passing.

4.3.2 If the environment and conditions do not allow a "minimum passing distance" of more than 1 nautical mile, the on-duty navigator shall establish communication with the other vessel as early as possible (at a distance of more than 5 nautical miles or more than 30 minutes before the meeting) to coordinate avoidance actions. The on-duty navigator shall also navigate with caution, and carefully verify the mutual avoidance actions and their effectiveness to ensure safe passing.

 The on-duty navigator shall be aware that using VHF to contact other vessels has certain limitations, including: uncertainty of vessel identity, communication misunderstandings, and time consumption in establishing VHF contact. Additionally, it shall be kept in mind that VHF shall never be used to reach any agreement that violates the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).

4.3.3 To alert other vessels, it is recommended to use audio-visual signals such as hand-held daylight signal lights and fog signals. The use of laser pointers is not recommended; if a laser pointer is used, the light shall be swayed left and right, and shall not be directed at the other vessel.

4.3.4 If effective contact with the other vessel cannot be established and safe passing distance cannot be ensured, decisive measures (such as having the main engine on standby and reducing speed) shall be taken as early as possible (at a distance of more than 3 nautical miles or more than 15 minutes before the meeting) to increase the "minimum passing distance" and "time to closest point of approach (TCPA)". At the same time, navigate with extreme caution and be alert to sudden course changes of fishing vessels at close range.

4.3.5 If there is any doubt about the situation or collision risk, the captain shall be called to the bridge immediately.

4.3.6 When taking course change actions for avoidance, the course change range shall be at least 30–40 degrees whenever possible. The avoidance action shall fully consider the surrounding environment to avoid creating another urgent situation. For example, other commercial vessels in fishing areas may cause urgent situations between commercial vessels due to their high relative speed and frequent course changes when avoiding fishing vessels.

4.3.7 During emergency avoidance, coordinate the use of the main engine and steering gear based on the current situation; reduce speed or stop the vessel if necessary until the other vessel is passed and a clear distance is maintained. Special attention shall be paid to the fact that when the distance between the two vessels is less than 0.5 nautical miles, fishing vessel crew members often make blind course changes due to misjudgment.

4.4    Measures of Emergency Rescue

4.4.1 When a collision is unavoidable, reduce the vessel's speed as much as possible and avoid the own vessel's bow colliding with the fishing vessel's side.

4.4.2 After a collision accident occurs, stop the vessel immediately, give top priority to the rescue of human lives, and make every effort to conduct rescue operations. Before all distressed personnel are rescued, it is strictly forbidden to depart the scene without authorization, unless the own vessel's safety is seriously endangered.

4.4.3 Even a minor collision between a commercial vessel and a fishing vessel may cause damage to or the capsizing of the fishing vessel, but personnel on the commercial vessel may not easily detect the accident. Therefore, when passing a fishing vessel at a short distance, the watchkeeping personnel shall conduct careful observation; if any abnormality is found, they shall immediately take actions in accordance with the emergency plan and submit a timely report.

4.4.4 Immediately request nearby vessels to participate in the rescue and issue relevant safety information.

4.4.5 Immediately report to the nearest search and rescue (SAR) center through all effective channels. The report shall include the following information: accident location, name of the distressed vessel, number of casualties, extent of vessel damage, weather and sea conditions, and rescue needs.

4.4.6 The captain shall comply with the arrangements of the competent authority, properly handle the accident scene, preserve relevant evidence, and cooperate with the authority in the accident investigation.