These Regulations, made under the Fisheries Act, provide for the conservation and regulation of fisheries in Vanuata waters and the issue of licences and in authorized fishing areas, i.e. the Vanuatu Exclusive Economic Zone and certain areas covered by specified international conventions, e.g. the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resource (CCAMLR), the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) and the Convention on the Conservation and Management of highly migratory fish stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC). The Regulations also provide with respect to aquaculture and fish processing and standards for the export of fish.
The text consists of 96 regulations divided into 15 Parts: Preliminary (1); Foreign Fishing Licences (2); Locally Based Foreign Fishing Licences (3); Foreign Fishing and Locally Based Foreign Fishing vessel Licence Conditions (4); Local Fishing Licences (5); International Authorisation to Fish (6); Test Fishing, Exploratory and Research Fishing (7); Aquaculture Export Processing Establishment (8); Fish Export Processing Establishment Licence (9); Fishery Management and Conservation Measures (10); Fishing Equipment (11); Fish Aggregating Devices (12); Aquarium Trade Measures (13); Miscellaneous Provisions (14); Repeal and Savings (15).
The Regulations prescribe the procedures and form for the application for and the granting of a foreign fishing licence, for a locally based foreign fishing licence, for local fishing licences for a test, exploration and research licence and an international authorisation to fish certificate. The operator of the vessel must ensure that the International Authorization to Fish Certificate is on board at all times, while fishing in Vanuatu waters and outside of Vanuatu waters, and must be produced at the request of an authorized officer. They also prescribe general licence conditions, which regard, among other things communication and report systems. The operator of a vessels must also ensure that the marine environment is not polluted. Other provisions concern a Vessel Monitoring System and observers. Any flagged vessels that are found to have committed serious violations of responsible Regional Tuna Fisheries Management Organization's Convention measures must cease to operate until all outstanding sanctions have been complied with. A Vanuatu flagged fishing vessel must not be issued with an authorization to fish certificate to fish in an authorized fishing area unless the operator complies with certain equipment requirements.
An application for an aquaculture export processing establishment licence or a license to operate a fish export processing establishment must be in the prescribed form. Such licences shall be subject to specified conditions and to any conditions which may be imposed by the Director.
The Regulations specify conservation measures for specified fisheries including fishing for lobster and other specified crustacean, snails, marine turtles, coral and ornamental fish. The measures also concern closed in-shore coastal areas and other specified areas.