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International Fisheries Pennants

Last modified: 2014-10-04 by zoltán horváth
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See also:


The Hague Convention (1882)

The blue and yellow quartered pennant appears to have been adopted by the Hague 1882 Convention. I wanted to see how it was defined there, and finally I found the text of the convention at http://iea.uoregon.edu/pages/view_treaty.php?t=1882-PoliceNorthSeasFishery.EN.txt&par=view_treaty_html (it is actually called: "Convention Between Her Majesty, The German Emperor, King Of Prussia, The King Of The Belgians, The King Of Denmark, The President Of The French Republic, And The King Of The Netherlands, For Regulating The Police Of The North Sea Fisheries" or "Convention for Regulating the Police of the North Sea Fisheries" for short, other short names being in use are "North Sea Fishery Convention" and "Overfishing Convention"). However, I found no mention in the Convention regarding any special pennants whatsoever.

The same web site includes subsequent conventions that might provide more insight, but in those that I checked I found no mention of any flags, signals, or pennants): http://iea.uoregon.edu/page.php?query=base_agreement_list&where=start&InclusionEQ=MEA&E_CodeEQ=E&SubjectIN=Species/Fauna/Fish
Željko Heimer, 27 November 2007

The North Sea Fisheries pennant was added to the 1889 Admiralty Flag Book by amendment in October 1902. It could of course have been in use before this, but not been included in the Flag Book until 1902.
David Prothero, 27 November 2007


International Inspection Pennant

[International Inspection (The Hague Convention, 1882)]2:3
image by Željko Heimer, 17 December 2003

Pennant 2:3, quartered blue-yellow-blue-yellow.
From Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives
Ivan Sache, 16 December 2000


Community Inspection in European Union waters

[European Union fishery inspection ensign] 4:5,
image by Ivan Sache, Željko Heimer, 17 December 2003

Pennant hoisted by the fishery inspection vessels in the waters of European Union.
Triangular 4:5 pennant, quartered yellow-blue-yellow-blue.
From Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives
Ivan Sache, 16 December 2000


Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)

[NW Atlantic fisheries inspection ensign]
image by Željko Heimer, 17 December 2003

Pennant of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). The inspection vessel hoists two similar pennants one above each other and separated by one meter. Each pennant has a size of 2.13 m x 0.94 m [about 9:4]
Triangular pennant, quartered yellow-blue-yellow-blue with black letters NW in first quarter.
From Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives
Ivan Sache, 16 December 2000

While the NW pennant is shown in 1995 edition of Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives, the NE is not. Does this mean that the NE pennant is a new thing?
Željko Heimer, 17 December 2003


Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)

[NE Atlantic fisheries inspection ensign]
image by Željko Heimer, 17 December 2003

Pennant of the Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC). The inspection vessel hoists two similar pennant one above each other and separated by one meter. Each pennant has a size of 2.13 m x 0.94 m [about 9:4]
Triangular pennant, quartered yellow-blue-yellow-blue with black letters NE in first quarter.
From Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives
Ivan Sache, 16 December 2000

ANNEX IX of the Scheme of Control and Enforcement (p. 52) provides more details:
A. NEAFC Inspection signal
1. To be flown during daylight and in conditions of normal visibility.
2. Boarding craft shall display one inspection pennant indicated above. The pennant may be half scale. The pennant may be painted on the hull or on any vertical sides of the craft. When painted, the black letters "NE" can be left out
Jan Martens, 23 May 2005


ICSEAF [International Commission for South East Atlantic Fisheries] Inspection Service

[SE Atlantic fisheries inspection ensign] 1:2,
image by Željko Heimer, 17 December 2003

Trapezoidal pennant quartered yellow-blue-yellow-blue of fishery inspection vessels in the waters of South-East Atlantic Ocean. (ICSEAF [International Commission for South East Atlantic Fisheries] Inspection Service).
Similar to NW Atlantic pennant, but letters SE instead of NW.
Ivan Sache, 16 December 2000


New Zealand vessels of fisheries protection

[New Zealand vessels of fisheries protection]
image by Željko Heimer, 17 December 2003

Pennant hoisted by the New Zealand vessels of fishery protection.
Similar to European pennant, quartered blue-yellow-blue-yellow but with darker blue.
Source: Album des Pavillons - Recapitulative edition (1995).
Ivan Sache
, 4 January 2000


French Fishery Police in French Austral and Antarctic Territories

[French Fishery Police in French Austral and Antarctic Territories]
image by Ivan Sache, 16 December 2000

Pennant, ratio 5:6 [ratio value is omitted in the book], quartered blue-yellow-yellow-blue, with TAAF (French acronym of the territory name) in white in the first quarter.
Source: Album des Pavillons - Recapitulative edition (1995).
Ivan Sache, 16 December 2000


South Pacific Fisheries Surveillance flag

Niue Treaty on Cooperation in Fisheries Surveillance and Law Enforcement in the South Pacific Region.
Done at Honiara, 9 July 1992
Entered into force 20 May 1993
[...]
Annex 1

FISHERIES SURVEILLANCE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FLAG AND MARKINGS
Regional Fisheries Surveillance and Law Enforcement Flag:
The Regional Fisheries Surveillance and Law Enforcement Flag is authorized for use by vessels during fisheries surveillance patrols. It should be flown at the same times as the national or ensign flag with the national or ensign flag superior.

Aircraft Markings:
Aircraft shall be clearly marked and identifiable in a manner agreed between the Parties to subsidiary agreements.

Full text of the treaty (but no graphic) at http://eelink.net/~asilwildlife/niue.html.

Ivan Sache, 25 October 2005