Marking of fishing vessels
Article 6
An EU fishing vessel shall be marked as follows: (a) the letter(s) of the port or district in which the EU fishing vessel is registered and the number(s) under which it is registered shall be painted or displayed on both sides of the bow, as high above the water as possible so as to be clearly visible from the sea and the air, in a colour contrasting with the background on which they are painted; (b) for EU fishing vessels over 10 metres length overall and less than 17 metres length overall, the height of the letters and numbers shall be at least 25 centimetres with a line thickness of at least 4 centimetres. For EU fishing vessels of 17 metres length overall or more, the height of the letters and numbers shall be at least 45 centimetres, with a line thickness of at least 6 centimetres; (c) the flag Member State may require the international radio call sign (IRCS) or the external registration letters and numbers to be painted on top of the wheelhouse, so as to be clearly visible from the air, in a colour contrasting with the ground on which it is painted; (d) the contrasting colours shall be white and black; (e) the external registration letters and numbers painted or displayed on the hull of the EU fishing vessel shall not be removable, effaced, altered, illegible, covered or concealed.