Fibre glass boat owners are being reminded not to transport people between islands without a Coasting Trade License.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji is working with border Police to monitoring fibre glass boats making commercial trips .
About four thousand fibre glass boats are running commercially without registration and owners can be penalized under the Maritime Act.
‘’If it is engaged commercially and if is not registered and survey then it can be taken under Section 100 of the Marine Act because still in force at the moment that the CEO can suspend or cancel a certificate however that if its register and survey if its is illegal then we normally went to the ship owner to advice them that you are actually breaching the Maritime Legislation of Fiji’’.
Boat operators are also required to have safety briefings with their passengers before leaving on any trip.
