fishing vessel lights and shapes

In Indian waters, fishing vessels use specific lighting and shape configurations as per international maritime regulations to ensure safety and proper identification during operations.

Indian fishing boats typically display red and green sidelights visible from ahead to 22.5 degrees abaft the beam, along with a white masthead light and stern light. When engaged in fishing, they show additional lights - trawling vessels display an all-round green light over white, while vessels fishing with gear extending more than 150 meters show all-round red over white lights.

During daylight hours, Indian fishing vessels use geometric shapes - cones pointing downward for vessels under 20 meters, and two cones with apexes together for larger vessels. These visual signals help other vessels identify fishing activities and maintain safe distances.

Many traditional Indian fishing boats are now upgrading their lighting systems to include LED technology for better visibility and energy efficiency, while maintaining compliance with COLREGs requirements for fishing vessel identification.