Safety and launch decisions

A good score on Fish On Charter means the public planning signals look favourable. It does not mean the boat must launch, the water is safe, or an angler should ignore local warnings.

Charter operators and skippers remain responsible for vessel readiness, legal compliance, crew readiness, passenger handling, trip suitability, and the final launch decision.

Trips can change because of weather, harbour instructions, sea state, mechanical issues, crew availability, legal restrictions, safety concerns, or other operational reasons.

If weather or safety conditions make the trip unsuitable, the skipper can cancel, delay, move, or reschedule the trip. Fish On Charter is designed to keep booking status, payment state, and cancellation information visible to anglers.

• Read the trip page, cancellation policy, arrival details, and operator instructions before booking.
• Arrive on time with required documents, clothing, food, water, medicine, and personal items.
• Follow skipper and crew instructions on launch day.
• Use your own judgement if you are uncomfortable with the conditions.

Fish On Charter provides booking records, trip information, public conditions, and communication tools. It does not skipper, crew, launch, inspect, or control the boat on the day.

For vessel and launch-related compliance checks, start with the official South African sources and the operator's own current documents.

• South African Government: register a fishing vessel.
• South African Maritime Safety Authority.