1. Without prejudice to the special provisions applicable to the registration of vessels with the competent national maritime authority, the government department responsible for the fisheries sector shall create and keep up to date a register of fishing vessels authorized to operate in waters under national jurisdiction, for information and control purposes.
2. The registration of national fishing vessels in the register of the national maritime authority shall be a requirement and condition for obtaining a fishing license to operate in waters under national jurisdiction.

1. Fishing in waters under national sovereignty and jurisdiction shall be subject to the prior obtaining of a fishing license, which shall be issued on a specific model and under the terms of this statute and its regulations.
2. The exercise of subsistence fishing activity, defined under the terms of article 4(q) of this law, is not subject to obtaining a license, without prejudice to compliance with the rules on monitoring and preservation of aquatic biological resources.
3. Fishing licenses are issued by the competent services of the Government department responsible for the fisheries sector, in favour of the respective owner or vessel operator, for a fishing vessel carrying out a type of fishery and for a specific period.
4. No fishing vessel may be the beneficiary, at the same time, of more than one fishing license to operate in the waters under the jurisdiction of Guinea-Bissau, unless special regulations provide otherwise.
5. The different categories of licenses and the corresponding types of fisheries, as well as the procedures for applying for, issuing, signing and the conditions for granting fishing licenses shall be defined in specific regulations

1. The granting and renewal of fishing licenses shall be subject to the payment of fees and any other consideration, to be established as follows: a) By joint order of the members of the Government responsible for the fisheries and finance sectors, in the case of national fishing vessels or foreign fishing vessels under charter; b) By agreement with the vessel operators or their representatives, in the case of vessels operating within the framework of international fishing agreements.
2. The fees referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be set according to the status and gross tonnage of the vessel, the type of fishing practiced and the duration of the license.

1. Fishing licenses shall be granted for a period not exceeding one year from the date of issuance.
2. The period referred to in the previous paragraph may not exceed 31 December of the year for which the licenses are granted, and they may be renewed for successive periods of equal or shorter duration.

1. Fishing licenses are not transferable from one fishing vessel to another.
2. In exceptional situations, duly and timely justified, and in accordance with the provisions of the Fishery Resources Management Plan, the conditions under which an industrial fishing license may be transferred from one vessel to another may be defined by regulation.

1. The granting of a fishing license places the respective beneficiary under the obligation to comply with the requirements set out in this statute and its regulations, and the fishing vessel for which the license was issued must: a) Keep the original of the respective fishing license on board at all times and present it to the agents authorized to supervise fishing activities, whenever requested to do so; b) Keep navigation and catch logs on board at all times, in a regulated format, in which the vessel's entries and exits, fishing operations, including transhipment, and catches made, in total and by species, shall be recorded; c) Provide the Government department responsible for the fisheries sector with accurate and reliable information and data on catches made and any other useful information aimed at ensuring knowledge of catches and fishing operations made, within the time limits and under the conditions laid down; d) Display their identification details at all times and in accordance with the regulations; e) Comply with fishing regulations, in particular those relating to authorized fishing methods and equipment, and must not use any techniques that could endanger aquatic biological resources or the environment.
2. Industrial fishing vessels are obliged to take on board fishing observers appointed by the relevant department of the government responsible for the fisheries sector, under the terms and conditions to be regulated.
3. Foreign industrial fishing vessels authorized to operate in waters under national jurisdiction are obliged to undergo a technical inspection, to be carried out in a designated national port, and to communicate, by radio or other appropriate means of communication, to the competent department of the Government department responsible for the fisheries sector: a) The time of their entry into and exit from waters under the jurisdiction of Guinea-Bissau; b) Their position within those waters, as well as the quantity and composition of their catches, at such intervals as may be defined.
4. Artisanal fishing vessels may be exempt from some of the obligations provided for in paragraph 1 of this article or subject to a specific regime for their fulfillment.

1. Additional general and specific conditions for issuing fishing licenses shall be established by regulation.
2. By order of the member of the Government responsible for the fisheries sector, a category of license or a specific fishing license may be subject to additional or specific conditions relating in particular to: a) The type and fishing method, as well as the minimum size of fishing nets and species; b) The area within which fishing or any other related activity may be carried out or prohibited; c) the species and quantities which may be caught, including any restrictions on by-catches; d) The periods during which vessels are authorized to fish; e) the prohibition of fishing during certain periods; f) The embarking and disembarking of fisheries observers and agents responsible for monitoring fishing activities on board.

1. The member of the Government responsible for the fisheries sector may refuse to issue or renew an industrial fishing license in order to ensure proper management of resources or to implement the Fishery Resources Management Plan.
2. Other conditions justifying the refusal to issue or renew fishing licenses for a certain category or categories of fishing vessels may be established by regulation.
3. The decision to suspend or revoke a license shall always be substantiated and may be appealed, administratively or judicially, under the terms of the general law.
4. If a fishing license is suspended or revoked under the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article, the beneficiary shall be entitled to restitution or compensation of the value of the license corresponding to the unused period of validity.
5. The decision to suspend or revoke a license shall always be substantiated and may be appealed, administratively or judicially, under the terms of the general law.

d) Suspension or revocation of the fishing license or deprivation of the right to obtain or renew it, for a period to be determined by specific regulations.