iFish6

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), was adopted by IMO in 1995. The 1995 STCW-F Convention is a binding treaty that sets certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels with the aim to promote the safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment, taking into account the unique nature of the fishing industry and the fishing working environment.

The presentation will provide an overview of the process of the revision of the STCW-F Convention revision. The proposal for the review came in 2015 and it took 10 years to be concluded. Its entry into force is expected in 2026.
The structure of the revised STCW-F has been improved and follows the structure of STCW Convention, i.e. the convention is now divided two parts (Part A – mandatory and Part B – Recommendatory).
New features have also been included, such as:

• Requirement to use simulators;
• Medical standards and certificates for officers in charge of engineering watch;
• Division of engine propulsion power for engineer officers;
• Detailed requirements for basic training and new requirements for onboard officers; and
• The new STCW-F code provides tables containing specifications of minimum standards of competence for each capacity, function and training requirements.

The revision of STCW-F Convention supports harmonization of qualifications by introducing a minimum level of training for everyone working on fishing vessels to which the Convention applies. This, in turn, facilitates free mobility of fishers between countries that have ratified and implemented the STCW-F Convention and creates a level playing field in the sector.

The presentation will introduce the challenging and hazardous nature of work in the fishing sector. It will then explain the role of international labour standards in this context, highlighting the International Labour Conference decided to include “a safe and healthy working environment” in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work at its 110th Session in June 2022. The presentation will emphasize that all of ILO’s member states are now obligated to respect, to promote and to realize, in good faith and in accordance with the ILO Constitution, the principles concerning the fundamental right to a safe and healthy working environment.

The presentation will then delve into the specifics of the ILO Convention No. 188, also known as the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007. This convention sets out binding requirements for ratifying Member States to address the main issues concerning work on board fishing vessels, including occupational safety and health, medical care at sea and ashore, rest periods, written work agreements, and social security protection at the same level as other workers.

This talk will provide an overview of drowning as a global public health issue. The basic epidemiology and effective interventions to prevent drowning will be discussed, as well as WHO’s normative guidance in relation to drowning prevention. Intersections of drowning prevention with the Sustainable Development Goals as well as two recent UN resolutions (UN General Assembly and the World Health Assembly) will also be discussed. The talk will also present current priority actions of WHO including the recent establishment of the Global Alliance for Drowning Prevention and WHO’s first ever Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention

Fishing remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. Most accidents and fatalities happen in small scale fisheries. As we transform the blue portions of our world, we need to ensure the fisheries and aquaculture sectors are strong and thriving, and this includes making them safer. Back in 1995, more than 17O Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) adopted the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The Code urges all States to ensure that fishing facilities and equipment as well as fisheries activities allow for safe, healthy and fair working environment and living conditions and meet internationally agreed standards adopted by relevant organizations. The presentation will look at what we have done and what can be done to make fishing safer.