S.L. 234.36 ст. 2Interpretation. Cap. 234. Cap. 226.

(1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires -''Act'' means the Merchant Shipping Act; ''administration of the flag State'' in the case of Maltese fishing vessels means the Registrar-General and in the case of other fishing vessels means the competent authority of the State whose flag a vessel is entitled to fly; ''certificate'' means the certificate of compliance referred to in rule 6; ''Council Directive'' or ''Council Regulation'' means a directive or regulation of the Council of the European Union published in the Official Journal of the European Union, as the case may be; ''existing fishing vessel'' means a fishing vessel which is not a new fishing vessel; ''fishing vessel'' or ''vessel'' means any vessel equipped or used commercially for catching fish or other living resources of the sea; ''length'' means, unless provided otherwise, 96% of the total length on a waterline at 85% of the least moulded depth measured from the keel line, or the length from the foreside of the stem to the axis of the rudder stock on that waterline, if that be greater, provided that in vessels designed with rake of keel the waterline on which this length is measured shall be parallel to the designed waterline; ''Maltese fishing vessel'' means a fishing vessel registered under the Act; ''new fishing vessel'' means a fishing vessel for which:

(a) on or after 1 January, 1999 the building or major conversion contract is placed or

(b) the building or major conversion contract has been placed before 1 January, 1999, and which is delivered three years or more after that date; or

(c) in the absence of a building contract, on or after 1 January, 1999: - the keel is laid, or - construction identifiable with a specific ship begins, or - assembly has commenced comprising at least 50 tonnes or 1% of the estimated mass of all structural material, whichever is less; ''operating'' means catching or catching and processing fish or other living resources of the sea without prejudice to the right of innocent passage in the territorial sea and the freedom of navigation in the 200 mile exclusive economic zone;

''recognised organisation'' means an organisation or body authorised in terms of article 367 of the Act or an official surveyor of ships appointed in terms of that article, duly authorised by the Registrar-General; ''territorial waters of Malta'' means all parts of the open sea within twelve nautical miles of the coast of Malta, or such other distance as may be established under article 3 of the Territorial

Waters and Contiguous Zone Act, measured as in that Act provided, and includes any waters enclosed between the base lines therein mentioned and the coast;

''the Torremolinos Protocol'' means the Torremolinos Protocol of 1993 relating to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977.