As a result of the special nature of fishing, fishworkers face several important labour issues. More often than not, these impinge on the fundamental principles and rights at work that are supposedly applicable to all workers, as laid down in the Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

These labour issues range from workplace-related problems and employment relationships to seasonality of employment and the effects of fisheries management measures to reduce fishing effort. Paramount though they are to the lives of fishworkers and fishing communities, they have remained unexamined and largely neglected, even as the world ’s fisheries have undergone significant and far-reaching changes over the last 40 years.

During this period, laws and regulations covering other workers have been modified or updated to recognize and accommodate changes. But very little has been done for those working in the small-scale and artisanal fisheries sector. The ILO itself last developed a standard for the fishing sector four decades ago.

At the 92nd Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), the Committee on the Fishing Sector debated the issue of a new fishing standard. This was within the context of revising pre-1985 ILO Conventions (binding for countries that ratify them) and Recommendations (not binding, but providing guidance), in order to update and strengthen the standards-setting system of ILO. The ILO Conventions relevant to fishing were adopted in 1959 and 1966, while the relevant Recommendations were adopted in 1920 and 1966. These seven outdated Conventions cover only 10 per cent of the industry's 15 million workers. The new fishing convention would potentially cover majority of fishers working on board fishing vessels the world over.

At the 93rd Session of the ILC, when the proposed Convention and Recommendation came up for final record vote, the required quorum of 297 could not be attained for lack of just one vote. This was despite the fact that there were 288 votes -- an overwhelming majority -- for the draft Convention, and just eight against.

The Governing Body of ILO placed a corresponding item on the agenda of the 96th Session of the Conference in 2007. The Conference adopted the new ILO instruments on work in the fishing industry. Delegates gave overwhelming support to the new standards designed to improve the conditions of millions of men and women working in the fishing sector. The new standards contain provisions designed to ensure that workers in the fishing sector have improved occupational safety and health and medical care at sea; that sick or injured fishers receive care ashore; receive sufficient rest for their health and safety; have the protection of a work agreement; and have the same social security protection as other workers.

The Convention, to be known as The Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No.188) and the Recommendation (No. 199) will come into effect when they are ratified by 10 (including eight coastal nations) of the ILO’s 180 member States (for further details see ILO press release ILO/07/37).

(Please visit the 96th session of the ILC)