Permits and Entry Requirements

Understanding the Need for a Concession Permit

The Fish River Canyon is not a casual stroll; it is a demanding wilderness that demands respect. Before you even think about lacing up your boots, you must understand that permits are non-negotiable. The arid landscape is unforgiving, and the authorities enforce the Fish River Canyon rules strictly to ensure your safety and the preservation of this ancient geological marvel.

Securing entry is a logistical task that requires planning months in advance. The permit process is designed to manage the number of hikers on the trail, preventing overcrowding and environmental damage. You cannot simply arrive at the canyon and expect to hike; the concession system is the only legal gateway. This formal process ensures that rescue services are not overwhelmed and that the fragile ecosystem remains intact for future generations.

To obtain your permit, you must go through the official channels. There are two primary ways to traverse this gorge:

– The Full Trail: This is the classic 4 to 5 day, 90-kilometer hike from the top to the hot springs. It demands a high level of fitness and self-sufficiency.
– The Slackpacking Route: A more recent option where you carry a light daypack while your main luggage is transported by donkey cart, allowing for a more comfortable experience but with the same regulatory requirements.

Beyond the practical application, understanding the need for a concession permit is about grasping the philosophy of the park. This is not a public right-of-way; it is a controlled environment. The fees you pay contribute directly to trail maintenance, alien vegetation control, and the salaries of the rangers who monitor the route. Without this financial and administrative infrastructure, the canyon would quickly degrade into a hazard. The rules are not there to hinder your adventure; they are the framework that allows the adventure to exist at all in a sustainable manner. Adhering to the permit requirements is the first and most critical test of your preparedness.

Where to Obtain Permits and Advance Booking

The wilderness does not yield to spontaneity. Securing your place within this ancient gorge demands a forward-thinking approach, as the official booking portal for Namibia Wildlife Resorts opens a staggering 14 to 16 months in advance. This extended lead time is not a bureaucratic quirk, but a direct reflection of the finite resources and the sheer demand for this extraordinary trek.

To begin the process, you must navigate the official reservation system and complete your payment in full before your application is even considered. A booking confirmation is your golden ticket, and without it, the gates remain firmly shut. Remember this when planning your journey:

– Your travel dates must be flexible to find available slots.
– A valid passport and proof of travel insurance are mandatory.
– The concession fee is distinct from the daily conservation levy.
– All transactions are processed electronically through the official portal.

This advance planning is not merely a formality; it is the first act of respect you pay to the landscape. By committing to the schedule, you are aligning yourself with the park’s operational rhythm. The entire process, from securing the permit to the final preparation, is the meticulous choreography that ensures your journey through this remarkable wilderness is both permissible and protected. These are the foundational fish river canyon rules that govern your entire experience.

Gate Entry Times and Seasonal Access Windows

Most visitors glimpse the Fish River Canyon from the rim, yet the fish river canyon rules exist for a blunt reason: a brutal climate and a narrow safety window. The official hiking season runs from 1 May to 15 September. Outside this window, the trail is closed and no permits are issued.

Gate entry times at Hobas are nonnegotiable. The park gate opens at 07:00 and closes at 19:00. I once watched a hiker arrive at 17:30 expecting to descend; he slept in the car park instead. Hikers must check in before descending.

• Entry gates open at 07:00 daily.
• Last gate entry is 16:00 for day visitors and 10:00 for overnight hikers.
• Exit from the canyon is permitted only before 17:00.

These rules feel bureaucratic until you understand the heat, the isolation, and the slow reality of rescue. The seasonal access window is not a suggestion.

Fees, Payment Methods, and Refund Policies

The cost of walking the canyon is not the permit itself. The real price is paid in preparation. A single night’s permit for an overnight hiker costs R350 per person, while day visitors pay a park entry fee of R100. These fees include access to the Hobas campsite, though they do not cover the mandatory rescue insurance, which adds another R60 to your total. You will not descend without that insurance receipt.

Payment methods are straightforward but limited. Cash is accepted at the gate, yet card payments are the norm at the booking office. Credit and debit cards work reliably. Bank transfers are available for international visitors, but they require a three day lead time before your hike. Do not assume you can sort this out at the gate. The office does not process electronic transfers on weekends.

Refunds exist in theory, not in practice. The Namibia Wildlife Resorts policy states that cancellations made more than 30 days before your hike receive an 80 percent refund. Cancellations inside that window receive nothing. No refunds are issued for weather, early exit, or a change of heart. The park staff will remind you that the fish river canyon rules are built around the assumption that you are committed. Once your permit is printed, that money is gone.

Special Permits for Guided Tours and Overnight Hikes

Most hikers assume a standard permit gets them through the gate, but the fish river canyon rules draw a sharp line between day visitors and overnight adventurers. Guided tours operate under a special permit, one that is not sold at the Hobas office. You must obtain it through a registered concessionaire, and that paperwork takes weeks to process.

Overnight hikes demand more than a booking reference. You are required to present a valid ID, a rescue insurance receipt, and a signed indemnity form. The park issues a physical permit only after your gear is inspected. For those joining a guided group, the operator holds the permit, but you still need your personal entry pass.

• Special permit for guided tours
• Overnight hike permit with gear inspection
• Personal entry pass for each hiker

I have seen hikers turned away because their operator forgot to file the special permit. The fish river canyon rules are unforgiving on this point. Check your paperwork before you travel, not at the gate.

Safety Regulations for Self-Drive and Hikers

Vehicle Restrictions and Driving Conditions on the Rim

The rim road demands respect. For self-drive visitors, the fish river canyon rules specify that only high clearance vehicles may proceed beyond the main viewpoints. Sedans often scrape their undercarriages on loose gravel and sudden dips. Hikers face separate regulations: no solo walking after midday, and every group must carry two litres of water per person.

Vehicle restrictions apply strictly.

• No trailers or caravans on the rim.
• Tyres must be in good condition with a spare.
• Ground clearance of at least 200 mm.

Driving conditions change quickly. Rain turns the clay surface into a slick hazard, and fog reduces visibility to twenty metres in places. Check the daily weather board at the gate before setting out.

Designated Parking Areas and No-Stop Zones

The canyon keeps its own counsel, and the fish river canyon rules for safety are written in dust and stone. I have watched drivers ignore the designated parking areas, lured by a precipice view. Do not be that fool! Park only where the gravel widens into marked bays. Those edges are graded for a reason.

For hikers, the rules turn grim after midday. No stopping on blind corners along the rim track, ever. The no-stop zones exist because a parked bakkie can hide an oncoming vehicle entirely.

1. Never stop within fifty metres of a bend.
2. Keep your hazard lights off unless truly stationary.
3. Leave the engine running only for drop-offs.

Solo walkers must sign out at the gate. These rules demand a lonely discipline. The canyon does not forgive a missed return time.

Hiking Time Limits and Daylight-Only Rules

The rangers do not negotiate over time. Hiking time limits are the first line drawn. If you have not entered the gorge by 09:00, the descent is too risky. The crossing at the river must be complete by 13:00. The walls lose sun an hour before the rim does. A missed schedule is not rectified.

Self-driving uses the same logic. Daylight only rules apply to any vehicle on the cliffs. The path is not lit and the verge slides away. Night shows you nothing. The fish river canyon rules mark the cut in simple order:

• Start any walk west before 09:00.
• Be at the river crossing by 12:00.
• Leave the lower areas on or before 16:00.

The canyon does not adjust the day for your pace. The silence comes down early. That silence is the closing bell.

Carrying Essential Safety Gear and Emergency Contact Protocols

Every year, the silence of the canyon masks a hard truth: help does not arrive quickly. Fish river canyon rules require self-sufficiency from every visitor. For self-drive travellers, the regulations go beyond a full tank. Carry a spare tyre, recovery boards, and at least ten litres of water. The gravel roads punish those who ignore this.

Hikers face a separate set of mandates. A personal locator beacon, a headlamp with spare batteries, and a thermal blanket are non-negotiable. Emergency contact protocols follow a fixed order:

1. Call the ranger station on the number printed on your permit.
2. Leave your exact route on the vehicle dashboard.
3. Activate your beacon only when movement is impossible.

Mobile coverage exists on certain ridges only. Plan for dead air and a slow response.

Weather Alerts and Flash Flood Warnings

The Fish River Canyon rules govern people, not rainfall, yet weather here demands rigid respect. Summer storms turn narrow washes into moving walls of silt. Rangers broadcast alerts through permit SMS and gate notices. Check the forecast each morning. When thunder echoes off the cliffs, assume flood risk.

Hikers on the canyon floor have minutes to react. A flash flood announces itself as a low rumble, then the river level climbs. Move to any ledge above the high water line. Never wade across a flowing tributary. Self-drive travellers face the same sky: rain turns gravel roads into soap. Park only in designated spots.

• Heed all weather alerts without exception.
• Exit the canyon immediately if clouds build.
• Wait 24 hours after heavy rain before descending.

Prohibited Actions Near Cliff Edges and Viewpoints

Standing at a viewpoint, the canyon drops away with deceptive grace. The Fish River Canyon rules are explicit about where you may stand. Self-drive travellers must keep vehicles on designated tracks, never on the verge. Hikers, stay behind every barrier and railing. Loose gravel hides near every edge. The wind changes without warning, and a sudden gust can unbalance even a seasoned hiker!

Prohibited actions near cliffs are simple:

• Do not lean over railings for photographs.
• Do not sit on unprotected outcrops.
• Do not climb dry stone walls.

Respect the precipice as you would a storm. Your life is worth more than a vantage point.

Trail Access and Navigation Rules

Marked Trails Versus Restricted Wilderness Areas

The canyon floor is a maze of dry riverbeds and hidden ravines. One wrong turn can cost you hours. Marked trails are the only sanctioned routes. Restricted wilderness areas, often unmarked and unmapped, are closed for good reason. They hold unstable terrain and fragile plant life. Straying from the path risks injury and fines. The fish river canyon rules are explicit: stay on marked trails.

Navigation demands attention. Look for cairns and painted markers. Do not trust GPS alone. The canyon’s depth disrupts signals. A simple checklist helps:

• Carry a physical map
• Check markers at every junction
• Turn back if you lose the trail

Restricted areas are not shortcuts. They are off-limits. Respect the boundaries. They protect you and the wilderness. Follow the markers. That is the rule.

Permitted Routes to the River Floor

Getting to the river floor is not a choose your own adventure. The fish river canyon rules permit exactly one sanctioned route for independent hikers: the official footpath that snakes down via the designated gorge entrance. You might spot other paths weaving off the main line. Those are goat tracks, not shortcuts. They lead to dead ends, loose scree, and a very awkward conversation with a ranger.

A few navigational pearls for the descent:

1. Count the cairns. If you pass more than three without seeing the next one, stop.
2. Look for the reflective markers on rocks. They are placed at eye level, not ankle level.
3. Trust the packed dirt. A maintained trail shows boot prints and cleared stones.

Permitted routes are marked on the official map, which you must have. The river floor itself is open only along the defined corridor. Step outside it, and the fish river canyon rules become your personal fine generator.

Overnight Camping Boundaries and Booked Sites

Trail access begins at the official trailhead, and the fish river canyon rules insist you remain on the designated path until you reach the canyon floor. The markers are the official navigation aids. Follow them, and the route is straightforward. Ignore them, and you will understand why rangers call the side gullies patience testers. I have seen it happen.

Overnight camping boundaries are fixed. The rules permit stays only at booked sites, not on any flat patch of sand that catches your eye. Each site has a numbered post and a fire ring.

• Your site number must be confirmed before descending.
• The distance between sites is on the official map.
• Arrival before the daylight cutoff is mandatory; night navigation is prohibited.

Booked sites operate on a first reservation, first served basis, and your permit lists the specific site. Sleeping elsewhere violates the fish river canyon rules and complicates the ranger’s nightly headcount.

Trail Maintenance Closures and Alternative Detours

Access to the canyon floor depends on conditions that change without warning. The fish river canyon rules require hikers to treat the official map, the numbered markers, and the permit office route descriptions as one system. When one element contradicts another, stop and reassess.

Maintenance closures happen without announcement. A rockfall or a washed-out switchback triggers an immediate shutdown. The closure notice appears at the trailhead, and the alternative detour opens in tandem. The detour takes longer but covers less ground.

The practical rules are few:

• Do not rely on phone GPS. The deep canyon blocks signals.
• Check the marker number against the map at every junction.
• If a marker is missing, read the terrain and turn back if uncertain.

Rangers paint detour markers a different colour for a reason. Confusing them with the main markers is the most common navigational error I have seen, and the fish river canyon rules make no allowance for it.

Use of Drones, Bicycles, and Motorized Vehicles on Trails

There’s a misconception that any wheeled or rotor contraption belongs in the Fish River Canyon. In reality, the fish river canyon rules prohibit drones, bicycles, and motorized vehicles on every hiking trail. Rangers confiscated a drone last week and the pilot’s permit was suspended.

Navigation is a separate discipline. Rely on numbered markers, not phone GPS, because the canyon blocks signals. At each junction, check the marker against the official map. If a marker is missing, read the terrain. When uncertain, turn back.

Consider these trail access rules:

• Drones are banned; fines start at R5000.
• Bicycles and e-bikes are prohibited; tire ruts accelerate erosion.
• Motorized vehicles stop at the rim; only shuttles use designated roads.

The fish river canyon rules protect passages that vanish quickly. Trust the map and markers. Treat machinery as a museum piece. That’s the only safe way down.

Environmental Protection and Leave No Trace

Prohibition on Removing Rocks, Plants, and Fossils

The ancient rock faces of the canyon tell a story written over millions of years, and the fossils embedded within them are the pages of that history. Each year, footfalls contribute to erosion on a scale that is difficult to appreciate from the rim. When visitors remove a single stone or a fragment of petrified wood, they accelerate a natural process that should take millennia, effectively robbing the landscape of its future. The fish river canyon rules exist to temper our impact and ensure that the wilderness remains pristine for the next adventurer who stands where you stand today.

Your visit is a privilege granted by the desert, and it comes with responsibilities that cannot be negotiated. The principle is simple: take only photographs, leave only footprints. Picking up that attractive quartz pebble or that intriguing spiral shell might seem harmless, but if every visitor took one, the canyon floor would soon be stripped of its character. To put this into perspective, consider the sheer volume of visitors each year. If every person took a single rock, the cumulative loss would be staggering knapsacks full of geological heritage.

– Do not collect or pocket any rocks, minerals, or fossil fragments.
– Leave all plant life, including dried wood and succulents, undisturbed.
– Avoid stacking stones or building cairns that are not official trail markers.
– Carry out all rubbish, including biodegradable items like fruit peels and tissue paper.

Resist the urge to dig for fossils or disturb the soil to see what lies beneath. That type of excavation is strictly prohibited and carries penalties, as it destroys contextual information that scientists rely upon to understand the region’s past. Adopting this macro perspective transforms your attitude from a passive observer to a guardian of the landscape. By leaving everything exactly as you found it, you ensure your impact is imperceptible, allowing the canyon to continue its slow, silent evolution untouched by the hands of man.

Waste Disposal and Pack-It-In Pack-It-Out Policies

The desert is not a fast decomposer. An orange peel tossed into a crevice might linger for two years, and a discarded tissue can outlast a decade of harsh sunlight. This is why the fish river canyon rules extend beyond the trail and into every pocket of your pack. What enters the canyon with you must leave with you, without exception.

Pack it in, pack it out is not a suggestion. It is a contract with the landscape.

– Carry a sealable bag for your own rubbish, including food scraps.
– Collect any litter you encounter, even if it is not yours.
– Never burn or bury waste, as both methods scar the fragile soil.
– Leave wet wipes, sanitary products, and nappies sealed inside your rubbish bag.

The canyon offers no bins, no waste collection points, and no second chances. Your responsibility begins at the trailhead and ends only when your rubbish reaches a proper disposal facility beyond the park boundary. This is the quiet discipline that keeps the gorge wild, unspoiled, and welcoming for those who follow.

Fire Restrictions and Designated Cooking Areas

The arid heat of the canyon acts as a patient predator, turning a stray spark into an inferno within moments. Vegetation here is sparse and slow to regenerate, meaning fire scars remain etched into the rock for generations. The fish river canyon rules therefore treat flame with an unforgiving severity, restricting all fires to designated cooking areas and specific overnight sites.

1. No open fires are permitted outside of the marked metal braai units provided at rest camps.
2. Collecting wood from the riverbed or surrounding slopes is strictly forbidden.
3. Windy conditions cancel all cooking activities, even within approved zones.
4. Gas stoves with a shutoff valve are the only portable alternative allowed.

Charcoal braziers are not permitted on the trail itself, as their ash carries a hidden heat for hours after the final ember dies. The fog of smoke from a careless fire can obscure the path for fellow hikers and distress the klipspringer that navigate these cliffs. These restrictions exist not to diminish your comfort, but to protect a landscape that lacks the moisture to recover. A single neglected flame could erase centuries of careful balance in a single evening. Discipline with fire is the highest form of courtesy in this parched, unforgiving terrain.

Protection of Wildlife and Feeding Bans

Fish River Canyon rules extend beyond fire and permits. A single dropped bottle cap can outlast a century of canyon winds. The fragile desert pavement here, formed over millennia, carries the mark of one careless footstep for decades. This landscape does not heal quickly, and its recovery rate measures in generations, not seasons. Respect for this space means considering every action, every step, and every wrapper.

The principle of Leave No Trace takes on an almost ritual significance in this arid expanse. Pack out every item you carried in, including organic waste like apple cores or orange peels. These decompose at a glacial pace in the dry climate, and they can attract animals to areas where they are not naturally found. The user of the trail is a guest, and the obligation is to depart leaving no evidence of passage.

Protection of Wildlife and Feeding Bans
The klipspringer and the Hartmann’s mountain zebra survive on a precise nutritional balance. Human food disrupts their digestion and their natural foraging patterns. Feeding wildlife is a violation of the fish river canyon rules that carries serious consequences. It alters their behaviour, encourages habituation, and often leads to an animal’s decline or removal.

– Do not offer food to any bird or mammal, regardless of how tame it appears.
– Secure all food in airtight containers to prevent scent trails that lure animals into rest camps.
– Keep a safe distance from wildlife, using binoculars for observation.

An animal that learns to beg for scraps becomes a nuisance and a danger. The administration may have to control such animals, which benefits no one. The fertile gorge floor is a larder for the wild, not a pantry for hikers. The silence of the canyon is best filled with an appreciation of its wildness, not the sound of a packet being opened for its inhabitants. The rules are the reason this wilderness still thrives, a reminder that human presence is a privilege, not a right. The canyon endures, patient and watchful.

Respecting Cultural Heritage and Rock Art Sites

The Fish River Canyon rules apply just as much to the old marks left by hunters and artists as they do to the living plants in the gorge. Rock art sites in the canyon are protected from the wind but not from careless visitors. The paint is natural ochre and charcoal, and one solid finger pressed against a panel can erase a line that has waited centuries. When you find a scraped figure, step no closer than the edge of the outer alcove. Use your eyes, take a photograph, and let the ancient hand of the painter rest untouched.

Leave No Trace means carrying out every sliver of your presence. A heat-worn banana skin, a torn corner of a tent bag, a stretch of blister tape: all of it leaves with you, every day. The dry climate does not digest litter; it reveals it over and over. Nothing may be taken from the canyon, not a stone, by the bone, not a fossil. These fish river canyon rules require you to finish as a partial that never was.

Conduct and Group Management

Maximum Group Size and Guide-to-Guest Ratios

The sheer scale of Fish River Canyon can lull you into a false sense of solitude, but the regulations here are strict for a reason. While permits manage the numbers, the fish river canyon rules regarding conduct and group management are what truly protect the ecosystem and ensure your safety. Larger parties must split into smaller, more manageable units, which helps to minimize the impact on the fragile trail surface. A designated leader must carry the permit and is responsible for the group’s adherence to the route.

A licensed guide is mandatory for any party exceeding a set number of hikers. Specifically, the guide-to-guest ratios for this trail are non-negotiable, ensuring that someone with local knowledge is always in charge. For groups of twelve or more, the ratio is strictly enforced, which can sometimes mean a single guide is not enough. This isn’t about bureaucracy; it’s about effective communication in a remote environment where weather can shift unexpectedly.

Staying together is paramount. If you split up on the trail, you create chaos for rangers and rescue teams. The conduct and group management expectations are simple: stay on the path, respect the permit holder, and never wander off to explore side canyons without approval. The official regulations state that all group members must remain within sight of the guide during the descent and ascent sections. This rule prevents accidents and keeps the group’s impact contained to designated rest stops, which are clearly marked on the map.

Ultimately, the fish river canyon rules for group size are designed to foster self-sufficiency. You are expected to carry out every piece of rubbish, but you are also expected to manage your group’s morale and pace. When you follow the guide-to-guest ratios and strict conduct guidelines, you are not just obeying the law; you are guaranteeing that the canyon remains a wild, untamed challenge for the next hiker who dares to cross its vast, ancient floor.

Noise Control and Respecting Other Visitors

The canyon amplifies sound. A whisper carries across the gorge, and a loud shout can ruin solitude for hikers a kilometer away. The fish river canyon rules require visitors to control their noise. That means no blaring music, no shouting, and no loud group banter near campsites.

For many hikers, the quiet is the entire purpose. Undisturbed stillness offers a rare escape from modern life. You can hear the wind, the gravel, the river far below. Respecting that experience is non-negotiable.

Simple courtesies go a long way:

• Keep group voices low, especially after sunset.
• Use earphones for any personal audio.
• Yield silently to faster hikers and let them pass.

These fish river canyon rules help everyone leave with the same wild memory, one defined by silence rather than disturbance.

Commercial Filming and Photography Permissions

Managing a group inside the canyon demands more than counting heads. The fish river canyon rules place responsibility on the group leader to maintain a compact formation, monitor fatigue, and enforce quiet hours. A scattered line of hikers creates unnecessary risk on narrow ledges and can startle baboons or klipspringers. Keep the group within sight of one another at all times.

Commercial filming and photography require a separate permission. The fish river canyon rules distinguish between personal snapshots and paid productions. Any shoot involving models, props, or extended equipment setup needs a filming permit. These permits are limited to certain viewpoints and daylight hours.

Group leaders should also:

– Confirm every member carries the required emergency gear.
– Assign a sweep hiker to stay at the rear.
– Check in with rangers at designated points.

This structure keeps the group cohesive without turning the hike into a parade.

Alcohol, Smoking, and Controlled Substances Policies

Hiking with a buzz is a bad idea when the nearest emergency exit is a dusty trail and the ranger’s radio might not work. The fish river canyon rules enforce a zero tolerance stance on alcohol consumption and smoking within the gorge. The logic is straightforward. Dehydration and heat exhaustion mimic intoxication symptoms. Rangers cannot distinguish between a hiker struggling with the altitude and one struggling with a hangover.

Smoking presents a different hazard. A single discarded cigarette ember can ignite a flash fire in the dry vegetation. Vaping devices are equally unwelcome. Park management has banned all forms of smoking and controlled substances outright. The primary concern is liability.

Those caught with alcohol or drugs face immediate expulsion and a potential ban. The canyon is not a festival grounds. The authorities treat it as a wilderness zone with military precision. The rule is simple:

– No alcohol of any kind.
– No tobacco products or vapes.
– No recreational drugs.

The policy leaves no room for interpretation. A cold beer after a long hike is a lovely idea. It is a terrible one when you are still inside the canyon. The fish river canyon rules protect the hiker from themselves as much as the environment.

Pet Regulations on Trails and Viewpoints

The fish river canyon rules demand a certain order when you walk the rim. A group that spreads itself wide across a narrow path becomes a hazard, not a spectacle. Keep close, keep quiet, and keep your eyes ahead. The authorities expect self management, not constant warnings from a ranger who has already asked you twice to step aside.

Pet regulations are equally firm. The heat and sheer drop-offs make the trails a hostile place for a dog that pulls. These rules sit with the same wing as the ones on waste and fire. To respect them, follow these simple lines:

– Keep all dogs on a leash in the parking areas only
– Never carry a pet onto a viewpoint or a marked trail
– Leave your companion at the desk with your driver if the journey demands it

The viewpoints are not a living room. Letting a pet roam near a cliff endangers the animal and the people around you. The order of conduct expects respect, and the canyon delivers no second chances.

Liability Waivers and Visitor Code of Conduct

Every group walking the rim answers to one leader. That person signs the liability waiver and takes responsibility for each member. Without this accountability, the canyon refuses entry. It is a simple safeguard, not bureaucracy.

Your conduct matters. Keep your party within earshot and manage stragglers before they drift toward the edge. The fish river canyon rules expect each visitor to behave like an adult, without constant supervision. If you bring a tour group, confirm your guide holds the necessary credentials and that every participant understands the code.

• Appoint a lead and a sweep for every hike
• Carry a signed waiver for each participant
• Keep group members within your line of sight

Liability waivers protect the park, but they also protect you. The fish river canyon rules place the burden of conduct on each signatory. Respect that contract!