IALACOLREG
26

Fishing Vessels

Trawler — green over white all-round + masthead/sidelights/sternlight when making way.
Trawler — green over white all-round + masthead/sidelights/sternlight when making way.

Rule 26 prescribes lights for fishing vessels.

a
A vessel engaged in trawling shall exhibit two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being green and the lower white. A vessel of 50 metres or more also exhibits a masthead light abaft of and higher than the green light. When making way, she also shows sidelights and a sternlight.
b
A vessel engaged in fishing other than trawling shall exhibit two all-round lights in a vertical line, the upper being red and the lower white. When making way, she also shows sidelights and a sternlight.
c
If outlying gear extends more than 150 metres horizontally from the vessel, an all-round white light or cone apex upward is shown in the direction of the gear.

By day, the normal fishing day shape is two cones point to point in a vertical line.

An interactive 3D illustration is shown here. The same content is described in the rule text and key takeaways below.

Recognition Sequence

Classify the vessel state first: underway, making way, stopped, at anchor, aground, towing, fishing, pilotage or special condition.

Read special lights vertically from top to bottom before using sidelights and sternlight to confirm aspect.

Then confirm the answer with the day shape, vessel length and any extra signal such as towing lights, deck illumination or a cylinder.

Exam Focus

Avoid identifying a vessel from one colour alone.

Many mistakes come from spotting a red light and guessing before checking the full pattern.

If the question mentions 'making way', 'underway but stopped', 'at anchor' or 'aground', that wording usually determines which extra lights or shapes appear.

Key Takeaways

1

Trawling is green over white; other fishing is red over white

2

The extra sidelights and sternlight appear only when the fishing vessel is making way

3

Outlying gear beyond 150 metres requires an additional light or cone in the gear direction

4

The basic fishing day shape is two cones point to point

Common Mistakes

Mixing up trawling with other fishing

Forgetting that fishing gear can create a hazard offset from the vessel itself

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