(1) An operator of a fishing vessel intending to take on board any fish by transhipment or any other means, including loading and landing for local consumption shall- (a) only tranship- (i) at the port of Freetown or such other port or area in Sierra Leone that may be designated by the Director; (ii) at the time and date authorised for transhipment; and (ii) pursuant to a valid and applicable authorisation issued under these Regulations and on such terms and conditions that may be required by the Director; and (b) notify the Director of such intention not less than 72 hours prior to the intended transhipment. (2) Notification given under paragraph (b) of sub-regulation (1) shall include- (a) the vessel’s name, radio call sign and fishing licence number where applicable; (b) full details of any catch on board the vessel; (c) the intended place, date and time of the transhipment; (d) the intended species and quantity of fish to be transhipped; and (e) the intended date and arrival time in the port of Freetown or any designated port in Sierra Leone. (3) An operator of a fishing vessel shall not less than 72 hours prior to transhipment, apply to the Director for a transhipment, loading or local landing authorisation in accordance with the conditions and in the form specified in the Eighth Schedule and prior to the issuance of such authorisation shall pay the required fee. (4) A transhipment, loading or local landing authorisation shall specify when and where transhipment, loading or local landing shall take place and shall be subject to such conditions as the Director may endorse. (5) An operator of a fishing vessel shall- (a) not tranship at sea under any circumstances unless authorised by the Director; (b) only tranship at the time and port or other place authorised by the Director; (c) cause the fish being loaded or locally landed to be accurately weighed and recorded by species on board the vessel and furnish the Director daily, with copies of these records; (d) during transhipment operation give every assistance to any authorised officer, inspector or other person designated by the Ministry in the performance of his duties, including verification of the species and weight of the fish and determining when the transhipment operation has been completed. (6) An operator of a fishing vessel shall during transhipment in the fisheries waters comply with all applicable laws of Sierra Leone relating to protection of the marine environment. (7) An operator of a fishing vessel shall upon completion of the transhipment operation, submit to the Director within 72 hours of the transhipment or before departing the fishery waters, whichever is earlier, a full transhipment report on each transhipment completed in the fishery waters in the form set out in the Ninth Schedule and such other form or information which may be prescribed or otherwise required by the Director.

(1) The Director of Fisheries shall establish and operate vessel monitoring systems for the purpose of monitoring the compliance of fishing vessels. (2) A licence issued under this Act may require that the operator of the licensed vessel, install, maintain and operate, in accordance with such specifications as may be prescribed or required under an international agreement – (a) a specified mobile transceiver unit; or (b) other device that forms an integral part of a vessel monitoring system; or (c) both. (3) Where a mobile transceiver unit stops working, the operator of the licensed vessel on which it is installed shall immediately - (a) notify the Director of Fisheries that the mobile transceiver unit has stopped working; and (b) either- (i) cause the vessel to cease fishing and travel to the nearest suitable port within Sierra Leone or such other port as is approved by the Director of Fisheries; (ii) submit manual reports to the Director of Fisheries, every 4 hours, or at such intervals as the Director requires, giving the vessel’s name, call sign, position (expressed in latitude and longitude to the minutes of arc), and the date and time of the report. (4) An operator who fails to comply with subsection (3) or a condition required under subsection (2) commits and offense and is liable on conviction to such fine or to a term of imprisonment as the Minister may, by statutory instrument, prescribe. (5) Any person who, without lawful excuse, renders inoperative or otherwise interferes with a mobile transceiver unit so that it does not operate accurately or in accordance with the licence conditions commits and offense and is liable on conviction to such fine or to a term of imprisonment as the Minister may, by statutory instrument, prescribe.

No person shall interfere with evidence, which may be related to an offense under this Act. (2) Without limiting the generality of sub-section (1), no person shall- (d) where a mobile transceiver unit is required under this Act, whether within or beyond the fisheries waters, destroy, damage, render inoperative or otherwise interfere with any part of such mobile transceiver unit aboard a vessel, or feed or input into a mobile transceiver unit or an applicable vessel monitoring system information or data which is not officially required or is meaningless.