1. Without prejudice to the necessary maritime registration in accordance with the applicable legislation, the National Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture shall keep an updated register of the following fishing vessels: (a) National industrial, semi-industrial and artisanal fishing vessels; (b) Licensed foreign fishing vessels; (c) Licensed national fishing vessels for fishing in high seas; (d) Fishing vessels equipped with an automatic positioning device;

An application for a fishing permit or for its renewal shall be declined in the following circumstances: (a) When, on the basis of assessment or scientific information available, the fishing of species mentioned in the application may result in damage to the preservation and management of such species, and of fishing resources in general, as well as of the marine environment or the aquatic ecosystems; (b) When the applicant is administratively or judicially recognised as an offender of two or more serious offenses to the present decree-law and applicable regulations during the course of two years, to be counted from the date of the application; (c) When the other requirements and conditions for the issuance or renewal of a fishing permit, provided for in the present decree-law and applicable regulations, have not been fulfilled; (d) When the type of fishing involves the capture of accompanying fauna belonging to a fishing whose access is temporarily closed to economic exploitation and utilisation or when the fishing is in the process of restocking; (e) When the type of fish to be caught with the permit requested is temporarily banned, when the entrance to a fishing area is temporarily closed, when the maritime area or species mentioned in the fishing permit are in the process of restocking, or when the envisaged maritime area is closed to fishing activities; (f) When the beneficiary of a valid fishing permit, for whom a fishing permit has been applied for, is a person other than the applicant; (g) When the shipowner proves not to have a fishing vessel in operational conditions during the period of validity of the permit or when he or she intends to use the permit to make illegal transactions with other shipowners or their representatives.

1. Semi-industrial or industrial fishing permits may only be revoked or suspended in the following circumstances by a decision of the Minister: (a) To protect and preserve fishing resources, upon scientific opinion of competent national or international institutions and following consultation with the National Consultative Council of the Ministry, or as a result of a recommendation by international or regional organisations of which the country is a member; (b) As a penalty imposed for an offense committed, in accordance with the provisions of the present decree-law; (c) For the non-use of the fishing permit without a just cause for a period longer than six months.