Vessels

Sussex IFCA operates two sea going Fisheries Patrol Vessels. Watchful is the main fisheries patrol platform for Sussex IFCA. She was delivered in 2003 to Shoreham having been built in Finland. Watchful has its own dedicated berth in Shoreham Harbour where it is looked after by IFCAs Marine Operations Manager and Vessel Master. It is an 18 metre vessel with twin Caterpillar engines that can take her at a speed of 23knots throughout the IFCA District to protect the fisheries and conservation sites. It has its own RIB situated on the stern for easy launching into the sea which can be used to come alongside fishing vessels for boarding and inspections at sea.

The second IFCA vessel is the MST 8m RIB Merlin. Merlin can operate independently out to sea and up into the districts estuaries.
Both vessels are regularly seen patrolling the seas of Sussex District on enforcement duty and carrying out marine research. Watchful and Merlin are available for appropriate charters. See the brochures and contact us for more details.’

Watchful is a bespoke design patrol vessel and she was purpose built in Finland and delivered to the Sussex IFCA in 2003. The vessel was constructed to support modern inshore fisheries management needs. Watchful is crewed by qualified and experienced Sussex IFCA officers and research staff. The vessels capacity enables her to operate throughout the Sussex IFCA district conducting compliance and survey operations. Watchful’s high technical specification and build quality provides a safe, robust well equipped and comfortable platform from which a wide range of marine operations can be conducted.

merlin

Merlin is a purpose built patrol vessel but can also fulfil a survey/research role if required to do so. Merlin was built in Liverpool in 2013 and is constructed to a stringent military specification. Merlin is crewed by qualified and experienced Sussex IFCA officers and also research staff as required. The vessels capacity enables her to operate throughout the Sussex IFCA district conducting compliance operations. Merlin’s high build quality provides a reliable and robust inshore platform from which marine operations can be conducted.