The Republic of Fiji Navy, Ministry of Fisheries and Fiji Police force concluded an eight-day joint patrol inspection along the Suva harbour last week.

According to a statement by the Republic of Fiji Navy, RFNS Kikau was used for the inspection with over 72 fleets inspected over the last week. Without going into specifics the statement said while most ves­sels were compliant with the marine safety regulations there were a few inspected and suspected of illegal activities.

“Those that were suspected of il­legal activities were addressed ac­cordingly,” the statement said.

Some punts and fibreglass boats were without proper safety equip­ment onboard and were strongly ad­vised on carrying appropriate life­saving equipment’s and appliances such as life jackets and flares.

The Maritime (Fiji Maritime Code) regulation of 2014 states that “Life­saving appliances” means any de­vice, arrangement, apparatus or thing intended to sustain the lives of people in distress, or to signal their distress, or to alert people onboard a ship to an emergency, and includes lifebuoys, lifejackets, immersion suits, anti-exposure suits, visual signals, survival craft, rescue boats, evacuation systems, line-throwing appliances, and general alarm and public address systems; “Lifesav­ing equipment” means equipment stored in or belonging to a lifesaving appliance and required to be carried onboard a ship.

The Fiji Police force and the Fiji Navy support the Ministry of Fish­eries in the inspection and patrol of the vessels along the Suva harbour.

The statement urges boat owners and seafarers to ensure that lifesav­ing equipment are carried onboard everytime they venture out to sea.