LOCATION AND DISPLAY OF DLNR
BOTTOMFISH
VESSEL IDENTIFICATION
If you plan to use your vessel for bottomfishing, permits are
required. Your vessel must also bear the proper markings. Here are
the steps you must take to legally identify your boat as permitted
for this activity:
- First, register your vessel.
- Case 1: State Registered Vessel. If you have an HA
number obtained from the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
(DOBOR), you must also display the BF on the sides of your vessel.
The BF should NOT be displayed right next to or after the HA
number. DOBOR does not allow other numbers or letters to be
displayed near the HA number. The BF should be put on the sides of
the vessel, either on the superstructure (cabin) or the hull well
above the waterline.
- Case 2: Federal Fishery Permitted Vessel. If you have a
Federal Fishing Permit issued by NMFS, you should already have
your permit number (probably same as USCG documentation number)
painted on the sides of the hull or superstructure of the vessel.
in this case, you only have to display the letters BF as a suffix
to the existing number.
- Case 3. US Coast Guard Documentation Vessel - No Federal
Fishery Permit. if you have a documented (not State
registered) vessel but don't have a Federal Fishing Permit, you
will have a USCG documentation number. But it will not be
displayed on the outside of the vessel. in this case, you must
display the documentation number plus the BF on the sides of the
hull or superstructure of the vessel.
DLNR/DOBOR does not supply stickers or paint for displaying the BF
designation because the choice of colors is yours. Use block
lettering. the characters should be no smaller than six inches high
and three inches wide in black or solid contrasting color to the
background, and need to be clearly visible and unobstructed.
Return
to DOBOR homepage