This Act makes provision for the control, regulation and protection of sea fisheries in the territorial waters of Nigeria. The first part of the Act concerns the licensing of motor fishing boats. No person shall operate or navigate any motor fishing boat for the purpose of fishing or a reefer vessel for the purpose of discharging frozen fish within the territorial waters of Nigeria or its exclusive economic zone, unless that boat or reefer vessel has been dully registered and licensed (sect. 1).