OBTAINING APPROVAL FOR INDUSTRIAL FISHING IN CAMEROON

Fishing licences may be issued only to persons resident in Cameroon or to companies whose head office is located in Cameroon and whose composition is known by the fisheries services.

Fishing licences shall be of three types:

The licence to catch fish;
The licence to fish for shrimps and other crustaceans;
The licence to fish for tuna, and/or in high sea.

The right to carry out industrial fishing shall be subject to the obtention of a fishing licence. For the other forms of fishing excluding subsistence, traditional or small-scale fishing, a fishing permit shall be required.

Any person who wishes to fish crayfish and small shrimps (Pallonula SPP and Palaemon Hastatus) shall first obtain a special authorization granted under conditions to be determined by decree.

Fishing permits shall be of four types:

Permit A – The permit for semi-industrial fishing;

Permit B – The permit for sport fishing;

Permit C – The permit for profit-making small-scale fishing;

Permit D – The permit for fisheries research.

The issuing or renewal of a fishing licence or permit shall be subject to the payment of an exploitation tax, the rate of which shall be fixed by the Finance Law.

INITIATING STRUCTURE: Industrial Fishing Service.

CONDITIONS TO BE FULFILLED:

enjoy all his civil rights;
demonstrate professional experience or have technical knowledge relating to the
profession;
Have carried out an environmental and social impact study.

COMPOSITION OF THE FILE:
Document to consult: Shipowners’ file.
Documents to provide:
For individuals:

request stamped at the current rate;
criminal record extract dated less than three months;
curriculum vitae indicating professional experience and qualifications;
copy of taxpayer card;
copy of the valid patent;
environmental certificate of conformity issued by MINEPDED.

For legal entities:

request stamped at the current rate;
sending of the company statutes;
criminal record extract in the name of the manager dated less than three months;
CV of the director or manager;
document tracing the current and past activities of the company.

In both cases:

descriptive and estimated plan of onshore treatment and storage facilities
as well as means of transporting the catches;
five-year program of activities and equipment;
forecast operating account;
documents attesting to the theoretical and practical knowledge of the director and/or
fishing manager in the exploitation of fisheries resources;
documents certifying the financial means available which must be equivalent to
20% of the planned investments;
documents certifying that the applicant is registered with the CNPS as an employer
and has fulfilled all of his tax obligations;
bank guarantee of at least 200 million FCFA for persons of
foreign nationality and at least 25 million for those of
Cameroonian nationality.