(1) The owner of every vessel used or intended to be used for purposes of fishing and kept in the State, not being a fishing vessel registered under Section 11 of the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act, 1972 (13 of 1972) shall register such vessel under this Act.
(2) Every application for registration of such vessel shall be made by the owner thereof to the authorised officer in such form, and shall be accompanied by such fees, as may be prescribed -
(a) before the expiration of one month from the date on which he first became the owner of such vessel ; or
(b) before the expiration of three months from the commencement of this Act, whichever is later :
Provided that the authorised officer may, for sufficient reason to be recorded in writing, extend the time-limit for registration by such period as he thinks fit.
(3) The authorised officer shall issue to the owner of the vessel registered by him a certificate of registration in the prescribed form and shall enter in a register to be kept by him, in such form as may be prescribed, the particulars of such certificate.
(4) Registration once made shall continue to be in force until it is cancelled by the authorised officer.
(5) Every vessel registered under this section shall carry a registration mark, assigned to it by the authorised officer, displayed in the prescribed manner.