Fishing vessel registration
To support fishing safety, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Transport Canada (TC) are working together on vessel registration. Some fish harvesters may not realize that there are separate vessel registration requirements for DFO and TC. A separate registration for each department is necessary as each department has very different roles and legislative responsibilities. The process should begin with TC registration of vessel ownership followed by DFO registration for the purposes of participating in the commercial fishery.
TC requires that vessels be issued a TC Official Number, fishing vessels with a motor of 10 horsepower or more must be registered:
- TC has two Vessel Registers the Small Vessel Registry and the Canadian Vessel Registry. The gross tonnage of a fishing vessel is a key factor in determining which of the two Registers applies, and what steps/supporting documentation are needed.
- Registration with TC includes the issuance of a TC Official Number used to track vessels for compliance with legislative requirements under the Canada Shipping Act.
- For more information on how to determine which applies and how to register a vessel with TC, please visit: Vessel licensing and registration (canada.ca)
DFO requires that fishing vessels be registered and issued a Vessel Registration Number (VRN) or a Vessel Certificate, used to track commercial fishing activity.
Keeping your vessel registration information up to date
As DFO and TC work together on this important requirement, DFO is endeavouring to ensure it has up-to-date vessel registration information, including the Official Number issued by TC, for all fishing vessels.
If you are uncertain whether you have previously provided DFO the TC Official Number for your fishing vessel(s), this information can be submitted at any time through DFO’s short online vessel registration questionnaire.
Please note that DFO or TC may contact licence holders or vessel owners to ensure the information provided is accurate.
Licence holders/vessel owners are encouraged to keep their contact and other vessel information up to date in the National Online Licencing System (NOLS). Vessel owners are also encouraged to keep information on their fishing vessel(s) up to date with TC. Information on registered vessels can be searched on TC’s Vessel Registration Query System.
If you require more information or any assistance on this requirement, you can look up frequently asked questions about this requirement, or contact DFO or TC:
- TC Vessel Registration: 1-877-242-8770 | vr-ib@tc.gc.ca
- DFO Safety at Sea: sas-sem@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Quick links
- Search your fishing vessel
- Small Vessel Compliance Program (SVCP): A program that will help you operate a small fishing vessel safely and in compliance with regulations.
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