The EU Sea Fisheries Social Partners have announced the completion of the “Pillars of the Sea 3” project. Photo: Europêche
The EU Sea Fisheries Social Partners are proud to announce the completion of the “Pillars of the Sea 3” project, co-funded by the European Union. This project has successfully advanced the Social Dialogue Committee’s roadmap for socially sustainable fishing, building on prior successes to improve the health, safety, and working conditions of fishers across the EU and beyond.
In a joint statement today, the partners consisting of Europêche and the EFT said:
“As we finalise the deliverables of the “Pillars of the Sea 3” project, we are pleased to present our achievements and future initiatives. Co-funded by the EU, this project advances the Social Dialogue Committee roadmap for socially sustainable fishing, building on our previous successes. Notably, our work on medical guidelines for fishers led to the adoption of new guidelines on medical examination of fishers by ILO and IMO, confirming our essential role in advancing the health, safety, and sustainability of the fishing industry. As we move forward, we remain committed to enhancing the working conditions and safety of fishers across the EU and beyond.
Key Achievements
A significant milestone of this project is the development of comprehensive medical guidelines for fishers, which have been globally adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Finalised during a joint meeting held from 12 to 16 February 2024 in Geneva, these guidelines will enhance the medical examination process for fishers worldwide. Created in collaboration with the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA), these guidelines aim to ensure that fishers are healthy and fit for their demanding roles, thereby improving safety at sea.
The Partners state:
“In previous work, the EU Social Partners in the fisheries sector created comprehensive medical guidelines for fishers. We are thrilled to announce that these guidelines have been adopted globally by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). This new set of guidelines, finalised during a joint meeting from 12 to 16 February 2024 in Geneva, will help improve the medical examination process for fishers worldwide. These guidelines, developed in collaboration with the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA), aim to ensure that fishers are healthy and fit for their important but demanding roles, ultimately improving their health and safety at sea. The IMO will introduce a similar requirement through its newly developed Code of the International Convention on the Standards of Training and Certification of Watchkeeping of Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F).”
Project Overview
“Pillars of the Sea 3” addresses several critical issues through its four main pillars:
- 1. Guidelines for the Recruitment of Migrant Fishers: This pillar focuses on developing model contracts to ensure compliance with EU and international labour regulations, thereby combating abusive and fraudulent recruitment practices.
- 2. Training Programme for Medical Practitioners: Building on previous guidelines, this initiative aims to train medical practitioners on the specific health risks associated with fishing, ensuring they can provide suitable medical care and certification.
- Legal Analysis on Market and Custom Tools to Combat Forced Labour: This pillar explores the potential use of EU customs and legislative tools to restrict seafood imports from vessels or countries known for labour abuses, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to human rights and sustainability.
- Refining the ‘Fishery Speak’ App: This interactive glossary will be enhanced with additional languages and technical updates to improve communication and safety on board fishing vessels.
Upcoming Dissemination Conference
The EU Sea Fisheries Social Partners invite policymakers, fisheries stakeholders, and media to the dissemination conference in Brussels in the fourth quarter of the year. This event will showcase the impactful results of the project and discuss future steps towards ensuring socially sustainable fishing practices. The Partners say:
“We invite policymakers, fisheries stakeholders, and media to keep an eye out for the upcoming dissemination conference in the fourth quarter of the year in Brussels, date to be determined. This event will highlight the impactful results of our project and discuss future steps toward ensuring socially sustainable fishing practices in the EU and beyond.”
Background
Fishing is a fundamental yet challenging industry, often receiving legislative focus on environmental issues rather than the working conditions of fishers. This oversight has led to low ratification levels of international conventions on fishers’ working conditions and a lack of coordination among national and international bodies. Consequently, the sector faces declining interest from EU citizens and labour challenges worldwide.
Source: Press Release