Conditions relating to the marking of Union fishing vessels
Article 7
1. A Union fishing vessel shall be marked with the name of the vessel, if available, and a unique vessel identifier (UVI) as follows: (a) the letter(s) of the port or district in which the Union fishing vessel is registered, where applicable, and the number(s) under which it is registered shall be painted or displayed on both sides of the bow or on one side of the bow and the other side of the stern, as high above the water as possible to be clearly visible from the sea and the air, in a colour contrasting with the background on which they are painted; (b) for Union 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 Union 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 and to be clearly visible from the air, in a colour contrasting with the background 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 Union fishing vessel shall not be removable, effaced, altered, illegible, covered or concealed. 2. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) ship identification number scheme, as adopted by Resolution A.1117(30) on 6 December 2017 and as referred to in Chapter XI-1, Regulation 3 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention shall apply to: (a) Union fishing vessels or fishing vessels controlled by Union operators under a chartering arrangement, of 100 tons of GT or 100 tons of Gross Registered Tonnage and above, or 24 metres length overall and above, operating exclusively inside Union waters; (b) Union fishing vessels or fishing vessels controlled by Union operators under a chartering arrangement of 12 metres length overall and above, operating outside Union waters; (c) third-country fishing vessels authorised to carry out fishing activities in Union waters.