The2007WorkinFishingConvention–AStatusReportontheBayofBengal

YugrajSinghYadava andRajdeepMukherjeeBayofBengalProgrammeInter-GovernmentalOrganisation,91Saint

Mary’sRoad,Abhiramapuram,Chennai- 600018,Indiayugraj.yadava@bobpigo.org

PresentationpreparedforIFISH5(InternationalFishingIndustrySafety&HealthConference),St.John’s,NL,Canada;June10– 13,2018

BayofBengalProgrammeInter-GovernmentalOrganisation(BOBP-IGO)

• Afour-countryregionalfisheriesadvisorybody.• Members:Bangladesh,India,Maldives,SriLanka.• Cooperatingcountries:Myanmar,Thailand,Indonesia,Malaysia• Institutionalizedin2003fromerstwhileBayofBengalProgrammeofFAOwhichwasinitiatedin1979.

BOBP-IGO’sengagementintheregionondecentworkinfisheriessector

• Thepresentationisbasedonthefollowings:• 2001RegionalWorkshoponSafetyatSea(ChennaiDeclaration).• 2008RegionalWorkshoponFisheriesMonitoringControlandSurveillance(ChittagongResolution).• 2006– 2012collaborationwithAPRC/NIOSHonenumerationoffatalitiesatseaandOSHrelatedwork• 2007– 2012FAO/Sida/IMO/BOBP-IGOGlobalProjectonSafetyatSea(SouthAsia).• 2010GlobalWorkshoponSafetyatSea(Mahabalipuram Declaration).• Regularinteractionswithmember-countriesandpartners.

• ThescopeofthispresentationisrestrictedtoBangladeshandIndia.

StatusofthemarinefisheriessectorinBangladesh&India(BOBP)

• Marinefisheriesisatraditionalactivity,graduallymodernising.• Unrestrictedaccess–increasingcapitalisationandfishingpower.• Near-shorefisheriesalmostexhausted– increasingoperationalarea.• InadequateadministrativecapacityandpoorMonitoring,ControlandSurveillance.

•ConsolidatesseveralILOstandards:• HoursofWork(Fishing)Recommendation,1920(No.7)• MinimumAge(Fishermen)Convention,1959(No.112)• MedicalExamination(Fishermen)Convention,1959(No.113)• Fishermen’sArticlesofAgreementConvention,1959(No.114)• Fishermen’sCompetencyCertificatesConvention,1966(No.125)• VocationalTraining(Fishermen)Recommendation,1966(No.126)• AccommodationofCrews(Fishermen)Convention),1966(No.126)

ILOWorkinFishingConvention:DevelopmentPathway

TheILO2007WorkinFishingConvention(WFC)

• Enteredintoforcein2017.• Binding(forthosewhoratifyit.10ratificationssofar).• Appliestoall fishers andfishingvesselsengagedin commercialfishingoperations.• Tripartiteagreement– Government:Employers:Fishers.• BothBangladeshandIndiasupportedtheresolutionbutyettoratify.

The2007WorkinFishingConvention(WFC)- Objectives

• Setsoutbindingrequirementstoaddressworkonboardfishingvessels.• occupationalsafetyandhealth• medicalcareatseaandashore• restperiods• writtenworkagreements• socialsecurityprotection

• Itfurtheraimstoensurethatfishingvesselsareconstructedandmaintainedsothatfishershavedecentlivingconditionsonboard.

RelationtoFAOCCRFandVG-SSF

• FAO1995CodeofConductforResponsibleFisheries(CCRF) setsthemodelguidanceforfisheriesmanagement:• Art.8:Statesshouldensurethathealthandsafetystandardsareadoptedforeveryoneemployedinfishingoperations.Suchstandardsshouldbenotlessthantheminimumrequirementsofrelevantinternationalagreementsonconditionsofworkandservice.

• FAO2014 InternationalVoluntaryGuidelinesonSecuringSustainableSmall-ScaleFisheries(VG-SSF) isthefirstinternationallyagreedinstrumentdedicatedentirelytotheSSFsector:• Part2(Sec.6):Callsforincreasedattentionandactiononissuesrelatedtodecentworkby,forexample,providingguidanceonoccupationalhealthandsafetyandmeasurestoimprovesafetyatsea.

InstitutionalFramework• Requirements:

• Responsibilityofthestate– partofflagstateandportstateresponsibilities.• ILOConventiondealtbyMinistryofLabour.• Largerresponsibilityonowners.• Fromunorganizedtoorganizedrelations.

• Actualsituation:• Statedoesnotinterfere– sectorremainslargelyunorganized.• Ministry/DepartmentofFisherieslargelyinvolvedinfisherwelfare.• Ministry/DepartmentofLabour– limited/norole.• Presentarrangementswithinthesectorareinformal,basedontraditionalnorms–mostlyowner-ledandsupportedbyfishers.

• Economicconsiderationsoutweighsafetyanddecentworkneeds.• Under-evaluationofrisksandlackofsafetyculture.

StatusReportCard

Coun

tryDimensions

Alignmentofdomesticpolicies/lawswithWFCrequirements

PoliticalandadministrativeawarenessonWFC

PrioritizationofDecentWorkissuesbyfishers

RoleandengagementofNGOs andCSOs

Knowledgeonworkingconditions

BGD Production-centric,introductionoffishersgroupinsurance- limitedcoverage.

Lackofownershipandpoliticalwill.Mediainsensitive,exceptduringnaturalcalamities.

Lackofawarenessandpoorfisher-organisationalstructures

GoodNGO/CSOinvolvement.Decentworknotprioritized.

Verylimited.Notpartofresearchagenda.

Limitedawareness;economicconsiderationsoutweighorganisationalwill.

Pooradvocacyandpenetration.

IND Production&welfare-centric,workingconditionspoorlycovered.The2017NationalPolicyonMarineFisheriesadvocatesimplementationofWFC.

Lookingbackandforward(avideofilm)

• ImprovingSafetyandHealthofFishingCommunities(Safetyatsea):ABayofBengalInitiative

(https://youtu.be/QdotpSzlNW0)

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