Commercial fishing permits for vessels over 10 gross tons will be authorized by the Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries, taking into account the target species and the characteristics of the vessels according to the following classification: Category A: Includes vessels targeting hake and species from the same ecosystem or associated with hake, provided that their fishing power and characteristics are deemed adequate by the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources. These vessels are not allowed to operate in the Río de la Plata nor land coastal species, especially those that are fully exploited. Unloading croaker is prohibited, although incidental catch of whiting (C. guatucupa) and other species will be allowed within the percentages established by the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources, depending on the area of operation. Category B: Includes vessels targeting croaker, whiting, and species from the same ecosystem or associated with them, provided that their fishing power and characteristics are deemed adequate by the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources. Category C: Includes vessels engaged in fisheries not covered by the previous categories, i.e., those targeting species other than hake, croaker, or whiting. The National Directorate of Aquatic Resources may set the percentage of incidental catches to be landed on each trip. Category D: Includes vessels exclusively authorized to operate outside the jurisdictional waters of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and the Common Fishing Zone established in the Treaty of the Río de la Plata and its Maritime Front.

Fishing vessels authorized in the identified categories must comply with the regulations of international treaties and agreements ratified by the Republic.

It is the responsibility of the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources, in coordination with the National Directorate of Environment, to ensure the conservation, management, sustainable development, and responsible use of marine mammals.

Sea lions, whales, dolphins, and other species of marine mammals in national coasts, islands, and waters of national jurisdiction shall be governed by the provisions of Law No. 19.128 of September 13, 2013, Article 23 of Law No. 16.211 of October 1, 1991, as amended by Article 212 of Law No. 16.320 of November 17, 1992, Decree No. 238/998 of September 10, 1998, and Decree No. 261/002 of July 10, 2002.

Fishing activities using the following methods are prohibited: a) Use of driftnets; b) Use of explosives; c) Toxic substances; d) Trammel nets (nets with two or three overlapping panels); e) Palling systems to increase catches with gillnets.

The provisions of this law also apply to Uruguayan flag fishing vessels that operate in waters outside their jurisdiction, in accordance with international agreements and conventions.

DINARA is responsible for: “19) Proposing to the Executive Branch representatives on national or international commissions that the country integrates in fishing and aquaculture matters.

Repeals).- All laws and decrees that directly or indirectly oppose this law are repealed, except for ratified international standards on the matter.

DINARA is responsible for:

1. Guiding, promoting, and developing all aspects of activities related to the responsible utilization of hydrobiological resources, the ecosystems that contain them, and the derived industries at the public and private levels.
2. Promoting active participation in the administration of hydrobiological resources by all interested parties through the Fisheries Consultative Council, the Aquaculture Consultative Council, and the Regional Fisheries Councils. DINARA's powers include: A) Executing and controlling all activities related to fishing and aquaculture in accordance with this law. B) In accordance with the regulations that are issued, following the procedures and criteria indicated therein, proceed to:
3. Receiving applications for permits, authorizations, and concessions, which will be granted by the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries.
4. Acting as the official authority in food safety and quality for fish and aquaculture products, issuing corresponding national and international certificates.
5. Act as the competent official authority on the health and food safety of species subject to cultivation.
6. Setting minimum landing size and weight for catchable species.
7. Determining fishing methods and gear.
8. Establishing closed seasons, species, and zones, considering ecosystem criteria and critical habitats.
9. Determining allowable catch quotas and volumes and modifying them in exceptional cases.
10. Establishing a national fishing and aquaculture information system, including relevant records.
11. Prohibiting fishing vessels from remaining in closed areas, reserves, refuges, or nurseries if deemed appropriate.
12. Setting and modifying landing percentages by species relative to the total landing, considering fishing methods, species, and population interdependence.
13. Declaring a resource or set of fish resources fully exploited if necessary.
14. Establishing zones and subzones for better management of fish resources exploited by artisanal fishermen.
15. Proposing incentive measures to the Executive Branch for activities leading to sustainable fishing development and aquaculture promotion.
16. Promoting scientific research for proper hydrobiological resource management, establishing and managing aquaculture stations, nurseries, and repopulation areas.
17. Investigating, projecting, and managing marine mammal exploitation methods.
18. Controlling handling, transportation, processing, distribution, storage, and commercialization of hydrobiological products and their derivatives, coordinating with other competent authorities for the internal or external market.
19. Advising the Executive Branch on matters related to fishing, aquatic hunting, and aquaculture.
20. Acting as the control body for activities directly or indirectly related to fishing or aquaculture derived from international agreements or treaties.
21. Proposing national or international commission representatives in fishing and aquaculture matters to the Executive Branch.
22. Ensuring compliance with commitments made to international organizations in fishing, aquaculture, and hydrobiological resource conservation.
23. Promoting aquaculture development in all its production stages through research, extension, and dissemination activities.
24. Determining sanctions in the case of violations to this law, international agreements signed by the country, regulatory provisions, or resolutions, following a non-binding opinion from the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries' Legal Services Division.
25. Receiving and allocating economic revenues from fees, taxes, access rights, and fines according to current regulations.

All forms of exploitation of hydrobiological resources using poison, explosives, or any other practice causing destructive effects, as well as the dumping of substances that in any form destroy the ecosystem, are prohibited.

All forms of exploitation of hydrobiological resources using poison, explosives, or any other practice causing destructive effects, as well as the dumping of substances that in any form destroy the ecosystem, are prohibited.

Shipowners must ensure that the captains or masters of their vessels provide the observers with full cooperation so that they can carry out their duties. For this purpose, they must be provided with adequate space for data collection and sample analysis, as well as a suitable area to process the captured data. Compliance with the obligation to cooperate also includes providing suitable accommodations, food, communication, and safety facilities for the scientific observers. The company must provide the observer with access to the vessel's communication equipment to transmit the relevant information to the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources.

The observer must have free access to all areas of the vessel, especially the bridge or the place where the navigation instruments are located, to directly monitor the vessel's positioning.

The following shall be considered very serious violations:

1. Fishing with vessels authorized for industrial fishing in waters designated for inland fishing or in zones reserved for artisanal fishing.
2. The use and possession, in industrial fishing, of unauthorized fishing gear and methods.
3. The capture or extraction of species other than those authorized.
4. Capturing or extracting hydrobiological resources declared under ban.
5. Processing, transporting, or marketing fishing and aquaculture products whose legal origin cannot be proven, species declared under ban, or species declared endangered or with sizes smaller than those established.
6. Processing, transporting, or marketing fishing and aquaculture products that pose a risk to public health, as well as products that do not comply with health and safety standards. They must also meet industrial safety and environmental preservation requirements.
7. Changing the vessels used for others with greater fishing capacity for the fishing activity, without the corresponding authorization.
8. Throwing toxic plants, chemical products, or explosives into the waters.
9. Conducting aquaculture activities without the pertinent authorization or concession, when causing serious damage.
10. Importing or cultivating exotic species without the authorization referred to in Article 64 of this law.
11. Failure to comply with the environmental conditions referred to in Article 61 of this law.
12. Failure to comply with the sanitary conditions referred to in Article 59 of this law.

The following are considered serious infractions: 1) The use and possession on board, in artisanal fishing, of unauthorized fishing gear and methods. 2) Treat bycatch differently than provided by the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (DINARA). 3) Transfer the result of fishing to unauthorized vessels or dispose of such product before arriving at the port of disembarkation. 4) Treat waste differently from what is established by DINARA. 5) Provide the competent authorities with false, incorrect or incomplete information in relation to fishing and aquaculture.

Likewise, fishing vessels authorized to operate in the categories presented in this article must comply with the standards that emanate from the international treaties and agreements that the Republic has ratified

Without wrong to the provisions of article 12 paragraph b number 19 of the Law regulated, the representation of the country before international organizations or technical commissions that include fishing and/or aquaculture, including the setting of catch quotas, will be integrated with delegates of the National Directorate of Aquatic Resources, their advice being mandatory in the fishing agreements that are implemented; everything in accordance with the foreign policy guidelines established by the Executive Branch.