Page 101 - Collision Avoidance Rules Guide

The following statements made in Committee I1 of the 1972
Conference reflect the general views expressed:

Since fishing vessels would wish to fish where the fish were, they should be
allowed to do so in traffic lanes, provided they were moving in the direction
of the traffic flow. (Captain B. Repkin, USSR, Chairman)
Clearly it would be impracticable to forbid fishing vessels from fishing
inside traffic separation schemes. The point made about vessels sailing in the
wrong direction was surely not relevant since any court would find that such
a vessel had been in breach of a Rule. (Captain A. Manson, UK)
A vessel engaged in fishing outside the outer limits of the area
covered by a traffic separation scheme must not allow her nets to
extend into a traffic lane in such a way as to impede the passage of a
vessel following the lane.
The requirement not to impede the passage of a vessel following a
lane must be applied in conformity with Rule 8(f) (see pages 58-60).

Rule IO(i) and (j)
A vessel which is required not to impede the passage or safe passage
of another vessel, in accordance with Rule lO(e) and (j) must also
comply with the requirements of Rule 8(f) and must, when required
by the circumstances of the case, take early action to allow sufficient
sea room for the safe passage of the vessel whose passage is not to
be impeded (see pages 58-60).

Small vessels and sailing vessels
The requirement of paragraph (j) is similar to that of paragraph 9(b)
relating to narrow channels, but in traffic lanes small vessels and
sailing vessels must avoid impeding the safe passage of any power-
driven vessel following the lane. For this requirement the applica-
tion of Rule 8(f) is relevant (see pages 58-60). Small vessels and
sailing vessels are not required to avoid impeding the safe passage
of power-driven vessels crossing a lane or moving against the
direction of flow.
A sailing vessel, or small power-driven vessel, should, preferably,
wait for a suitable opportunity to cross a traffic lane, but a power-
driven vessel following a lane is not relieved of her obligation to keep
out of the way if there is risk of collision with a sailing vessel.
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