Anchoring and fishing prohibited
Ships may pass but must not anchor, trawl or put gear on the seabed — usually because of cables, pipelines, moorings or ordnance.
Anchors and trawls are the main threat to what lies on the seabed: cables, pipelines, instruments and old munitions. Warnings that prohibit or discourage anchoring and bottom fishing protect those — and protect the ship from an anchor fouled on a cable or from dragging up ordnance.
In many warnings the phrase is a request ("MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO AVOID ANCHORING") rather than a legal prohibition; the exact wording is in the original text.
What the archive shows
9 messages in this archive use “Anchoring and fishing prohibited”, the earliest issued 2002-11-30 and the latest 2026-07-03. 3 of them are in force in the latest lists we collected. A hazard reported again and again counts once per message.
9 recorded messages form a small sample; the warning type breakdown should be read as individual records rather than a pattern.
Located messages that use it fall in 5 sea areas; the most frequent are Caribbean Sea (2), South Atlantic Ocean (1) and Black Sea (1).
By warning series: NAVAREA IV 5, HYDROLANT 3 and HYDROPAC 1.
Messages using it, by year of issue
Where it appears · 5 sea areas
In force now · 3
- HYDROPAC 1903/26 · Other · Persian Gulf2026-07-02 · in force
PERSIAN GULF. U.A.E. ANCHORING PROHIBITED IN AREA BOUND BY 25-26.59N 055-05.88E, 25-28.17N 055-06.69E, 25-28.32N 055-09.15E,…
Anchoring prohibited in area bound by 25-26.59N 055-05.88E, 25-28.17N 055-06.69E, 25-28.32N 055-09.15E,… → - NAVAREA IV 1524/24 · Spills · Caribbean Sea2024-12-04 · in force
…TO THE ENVIRONMENT, ENTRY IS PROHIBITED FOR VESSELS OF 300 GROSS TONS AND GREATER, AND ANCHORING IS PROHIBITED FOR ALL VESSELS, IN AREA BOUND BY 17-27.06N 063-56.14W, 17-29.00N 063-55.09W, 17-27.94N…
Kitts and nevis → - NAVAREA IV 222/23 · Other · Caribbean Sea2023-03-01 · in force
ANGUILLA. ANCHORING PROHIBITED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE IN AREA BOUND BY 18-13.60N 063-04.15W, 18-13.60N 063-04.70W,…
Anchoring prohibited until further notice in area bound by 18-13.60N 063-04.15W, 18-13.60N 063-04.70W,… →
How it reads in recent messages
- HYDROLANT 141/23 · Other · South Atlantic Ocean2023-01-17
WESTERN SOUTH ATLANTIC. BRAZIL. DNC 01. 1. ANCHORING PROHIBITED UNTIL 161750Z JUL IN AREA BOUND BY 25-42.71S 048-08.63W, 25-43.44S 048-09.40W, 25-40.61S…
Anchoring prohibited until 161750Z jul in area bound by 25-42.71S 048-08.63W, 25-43.44S 048-09.40W,… → - NAVAREA IV 49/16 · Restricted2016-01-21
EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA. SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES. CANOUAN. CHART 25482. 1. ANCHORING PROHIBITED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE IN AREA BETWEEN 12-41.60N 12-43.20N AND 061-18.65W 061-19.50W. 2.…
Saint vincent and the grenadines → - NAVAREA IV 48/16 · Other2016-01-21
EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA. SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES. CANOUAN. CHART 25482. 1. ANCHORING PROHIBITED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE IN AREA BETWEEN 12-41.60N 12-43.20N AND 061-18.65W 061-19.50W. 2.…
Saint vincent and the grenadines → - HYDROLANT 34/16 · Other · Black Sea2016-01-03
BLACK SEA. DNC 10. CHART 55180. ANCHORING PROHIBITED WITHIN 500 METERS OF TRACKLINE JOINING 44-58.38N 036-54.72E, 44-56.41N 036-50.60E,…
Anchoring prohibited within 500 meters of trackline joining 44-58.38N 036-54.72E, 44-56.41N 036-50.60E,… → - HYDROLANT 1493/08 · Other2008-09-15
NGA CHART 52164 (2ND ED). 1. ANCHORAGE AND FISHING PROHIBITED UNTIL 15 JAN 09 IN AREA BETWEEN 33-56.8N 33-56.3N AND 010-10.4E 010-09.7E. 2. CANCEL…
Nga chart 52164 (2ND ed) →
Earliest in the archive
- NAVAREA IV 457/02 · Other · Gulf of Mexico2002-11-29
…TO BRITISH ADMIRALTY CHARTS. BA CHARTS 3005, 525, 1217 AND 3853 1. IMO AUTHORIZED NO ANCHORING AREAS ESTABLISHED IN AREAS: A. BOUNDED BY 24-46.0N 083-06.0W, 24-46.0N 082-48.0W,…
Ba charts 3005, 525, 1217 and 3853 1. imo authorized no anchoring areas established in areas: a. bounded by… →
Often in the same message
Related terms
- Cable operations
- A ship is laying, burying or repairing a submarine cable, usually along a stated route.
- Scientific mooring
- Instruments anchored to the seabed and held up by floats, sometimes just below the surface, left for months to measure the ocean.
- Unexploded ordnance
- Bombs, shells, mines or torpedoes found on the seabed or washed up, and the operations to remove or destroy them.
- Safety zone / exclusion zone
- An area ships must stay out of, or may only enter with permission, for safety or security.
Warning types that use it
- Restricted — Navigation prohibited, exclusion and security zones, ports closed to traffic.
- Cable ops — Cable laying, pipeline and seismic operations.
Counts cover the messages in this archive that use the term, recounted 2026-09-24; see coverage for what is collected and since when. Not for navigation — follow official NAVAREA and coastal broadcasts.