The procedure regarding issue of creek passes and voyage books to the fishing vessels by the Customs department had been prescribed under the Public Notice No. 45/2005-06 dated 01.02.2006 as amended by Public Notice No. 54/2005-06 dated 09.03.2006 and Public Notice No 19/2007-08 dated 13.02.2008
The issuance of creek passes and voyage books to the fishing vessels has been stopped by the Custom Department w.e.f. 15-08-2009 in terms of the Commissioner of Fisheries, Gandhinagar’s letter F.No. GF/Marine/1/11/09-10 dated 27-07-2009 under which it is stated that the fisheries department will issue fishing license in Form-2 prescribed under Rule 8(c) of Gujarat Fisheries Rules, 2003 with effect from 15/08/2009. Also as per circular F.No. GF/Marine/1/11/09-10/1034 dated 10.08.2009 issued by the Commissioner of Fisheries, Gandhinagar and F.No. GF/Marine/1/11/09-10/1106 dated 12.08.2009 issued by the Deputy Director of Fisheries, Gandhinagar the owner of the fishing boats and association have been advised to maintain Log Book / Master Log Book in form – 9 prescribed under Rule 8(c)(3)(9) and (16) of Gujarat Fishing Rules, 2003.
In view of above facts, the owners of the fishing vessels now have to approach jurisdictional fisheries authority for obtaining fishing license.
Further the issue of Bio-metric fishermen identity cards nation wide to the fisherman is under consideration by the fisheries department. However, the same has not been started by the fisheries department. Therefore, as per the instruction contained in letter F.No. VIII/48-03/AS/CCO/2009 dated 13-08-2009 of the Additional Commissioner, Office of the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Gujarat Zone, Ahmedabad, the issue of identity cards to the fisherman by the Customs Department in terms of Public Notice No. 45/2005-06 dated 01.02.2006 as amended by Public Notice No. 54/2005-06 dated 09.03.2006 and Public Notice No 19/2007-08 dated 13.02.2008 will be continued till the Bio-Metric Cards are issued by the Gujarat Fisheries Department. The owners of the fishing vessels have to approach jurisdictional Customs officer for this purpose.
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