Safe Operational Plans for fishing vessels

Registered fishing vessels that are six metres or less in length that operate in enclosed waters, or not more than two miles from the New Zealand coast, are required to have a Safe Operational Plan (SOP) under Maritime Rule Part 40D.

How to get a Safe Operational Plan:

To get a Safe Operational Plan, you will need to do the following:

1. Contact your nearest commercial fishing Authorised Person for an inspection, audit and approval of your operation^*
2. Complete and submit the application form.
3. When your SOP has been approved, you will need a Certificate of Compliance from Maritime New Zealand before you can begin operating.

During the period the Certification covers each operation must be audited. Under Rules Part 40D the audits must be two yearly but Certified operators have been exempted from that requirement. Instead, each operator will be audited at a frequency determined by their risk profile.

Maritime NZ does the risk profiling and conducts the audits. These are known as ‘routine audits’ and are conducted free of charge.

At the time you are certified you will be advised of when your first routine audit will be carried out.

Complete this form:

• To apply for a new certificate of compliance for fishing vessels
• to renew an existing certificate of compliance
• if you have added or removed a boat(s) from your operation or made changes to the boats in your operation, or
• to advise Maritime NZ if you are no longer operating.

^*This is on behalf of the Director of Maritime New Zealand.

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