The Fisheries Department has identified 44 yards building fishing vessels in the district for mandatory registration following an amendment to the Kerala Marine Fishing Regulation (KMFR) Act passed in October 2018. It is expected to bring in much needed accountability in the functioning of fishing boat building yards, which are largely unregulated. Owners of boat yards have been given three months to comply with the registration, for which they will have to meet some safety standards. Owners applying for registration should deposit fees ranging between ?1,000 and ?50,000 depending on the size of the boats being built and furnish ownership documents, no-objection certificates from the local body concerned and approvals of the fire and safety department and the labour department. Yards should also have a minimum of five cents, S. Mahesh, Deputy Director, Fisheries Department, told The Hindu. Submission of plan Under the latest amendment, the yards will have to secure prior approval from the Fisheries Department before starting the construction of a fishing vessel. This will entail submission of a plan drawn up by a recognised naval architect. The proposed boat should have facilities for the berthing of workers, kitchen and toilet facilities. Fishing Department authorities will then inspect the boat based on which registration and licence will be issued. Unregistered boats constructed prior to the amendment will be given a specific period to take registration. The Act, however, does not cover fishing vessels with an engine power exceeding 250 horsepower and an overall length of 20 metres. Such vessels are not permitted to fish in territorial waters but are merely given a registration and permit to use port facilities. Under scanner Many such yards functioning without mandatory approval from local bodies concerned had come under the scanner in the past for dubious dealings. Though intelligence and police sleuths make random checks of these yards, it is far from a foolproof mechanism. Often these yards were found to have no clear idea about the clients or for what purpose the boat was being built, said police sources.