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Tripartite Meeting on Safety and Health in
the Fishing Industry
Geneva, 13-17 December 1999
 Background
In accordance with a decision taken by the 268th Session of the Governing Body
of the ILO, a Tripartite Meeting on Safety and Health in the Fishing Industry
was held in Geneva from 13 to 17 December 1999. The purpose of the meeting
was to: exchange views on safety and health issues in the fishing industry; to
assess the work done by the Joint FAO/ILO/IMO Working Group on Fishermen's Training
and by the FAO and IMO: to adopt conclusions which identify follow-up activities
and review ILO standards adopted specfically for fishermen; and to adopt a report
on the disussion. It also had the possibility to adopt resolutions.
 Report
In advance of the meeting, the International Labour Office had prepared a discussion
document entitled Safety and Health in the Fishing Industry.
The report began with an overview of recent developments in fishing, including
employment, production (catch) trends and economic, environmental and legal changes
which have had, or will have, a major impact on fishing operations. It then
addressed safety and health issues in the fishing industry, including those relevant
to small-scale and artisnal fisheries. Several chapters described
national, regional and international measures and activities concerning safety
and health in fishing. Another chapter contained a review of ILO standards
concerning fishermen and maritime labour standards which could apply to fishermen1.
The report concluded with a summary and a list of suggested points for discussion
during the Meeting.
Participation and Outcomes
The Tripartite Meeting was attended by thirteen Government representatives,
sixteen Employer and eighteen Worker delegates as well as observers from several
Intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The discussion
covered such areas as: priority areas for improving occupational safety and health;
roles of legal, regulatory and other measures; promoting enforcement or application
of laws, regulations and good practices; improving coordination by all ministries,
and the role of labour ministries (in improving the safety and health of fishermen);
tripartite action in training and measures to improve safety and health; safety
and health for small-scale and artisanal fishermen; action on safety, health and
related issues for vulnerable groups of fishermen; improving data on the incidence
and severity of accidents and disease; ILO action on the revision of relevant
codes and other material; and priority work by the ILO to assist constituents
on safety and health in fishing. Conclusions were adopted in each of these
areas. Recommendations were also made on action to be taken with regard to the
existing ILO standards concerned with fishermen. In addition, a Resolution concerning
future ILO activities in the fisheries sector and social dialogue was agreed.
Finally, in addition to the discussions described above, there were three "panel
discussions" on: tools for the improvement of safety and health in the fishing
industry; the social implications of responsible fisheries; and promoting social
dialogue and fundamental principles and rights in the fishing industry.
 A
Note on the Proceedings of the Meeting, also available
in French,
Spanish
and in pdf format, 349k 
was submitted to the 277th Session of the Governing Body in March 2000 (through
the Committee on Sectoral and Technical Meetings and Related Issues). The Governing
Body recommended that the Director-General communicate the Note to: governments,
requesting them to communicate these texts to the employers' and workers' organizations
concerned; to the international employers' and workers' organizations concerned;
and to the international organizations concerned and that he bear in mind the
conclusions when drawing up proposals for the future work of the Office.
Links to other ILO sites concerning the fishing industry
The following sites may also be of interest:
Related Meetings and Papers
A working paper on safety
and health of meat, poultry and fish processing workers is also available
from this site.
1
This work is in keeping with decisions taken by the 268th and 274th
Sessions of the Governing Body requesting the Meeting to review and comment on
possible actions to be taken concerning the seven ILO standards specifically concerning
fishermen and certain other standards concerning seafarers which might be applicable
to fishermen, the resulting recommendations to be considered by the Working Party
on Policy regarding the Revision of Standards of the Committee on Legal Issues
and International Labour Standards of the Governing Body.
Mr. Brandt Wagner,
Maritime Industries Team,
Sectoral Activities Department,
International Labour Office,
4, route des Morillons,
CH-1211 GENEVE 22
Tel. (41.22) 799-7008, Fax (41.22) 799-7050,
e-mail: wagner@ilo.org or sector@ilo.org
or
Mr. Dani Appave,
Maritime Industries Team Leader,
Sectoral Activities Department,
International Labour Office,
4, route des Morillons,
CH-1211 GENEVE 22 --
Tel. (41.22) 799-7528, Fax (41.22) 799-7050,
e-mail: appave@ilo.org or marit@ilo.org
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