Upholding labour protection in fishing sector
Fishing is one of the most challenging, hazardous and high risk occupations. Difficult working and living conditions on board fishing vessels are common in fishing regardless the type of fishing operation or where it is taking place. Compared to those working in other economic sectors, many fishers are only poorly protected by national labour or maritime law.
Moreover, responsibilities for applying the laws in fishing and managing and running inspection services on labour conditions are also divided among various government agencies. This is also the challenge for competent authorities in fishing to ensure coordination and sufficient capacities fulfilled by their inspectors.
There is a widespread concern that only a small proportion of fishing enterprises/vessels may be legally covered by inspection systems on labour conditions. It is still a challenge to ensure that working and living conditions on board fishing vessels as well as the labour protection for fishers are at the similar level to workers in industry, commerce and services."
Lena Kurniawati, Head of Division of legal and International Cooperation of the Labour Inspection Directorate
“There is a widespread concern that only a small proportion of fishing enterprises/vessels may be legally covered by inspection systems on labour conditions. It is still a challenge to ensure that working and living conditions on board fishing vessels as well as the labour protection for fishers are at the similar level to workers in industry, commerce and services,” she said.
Bagus Oktario, Sub-Division Head of Manning from Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries considered the involvement from Ministry of Manpower crucial to improve labour conditions in fishing sector, especially in supporting the human rights certification that is currently being drafted. “I hope that both the Ministry of Manpower and the ILO continue to support this,” he added.
The FGD focused on four areas, including the legal gap and priorities issues in fishing sector, the stakeholder mapping and coordination, the compliance intervention and strategic planning in fishing sector. The result of this FGD would be presented in the high level meeting for the consideration of further labour policies.
The FDG was facilitated by Rene Robert, the ILO’s Labour Inspection Specialist, Jason Judd, the ILO’s Chief Technical Adviser for the Ship to Shore Rights Project in Thailand, as well as Albert Bonasahat and Lusiani Julia from ILO Jakarta Office.
Rene said that the mandate of the ILO Convention No. 188 on Work in Fishing Sector was to help ILO Member States to develop comprehensive and standardized systems of inspection, recognizing the different forms of regulatory regimes and ensuring cooperation between them.
“This ILO Convention No.188 demonstrates the renewed commitment by the ILO to ensure decent work in fishing. It aims to ensure decent conditions of work with regard to minimum requirements for work on board, conditions of service; accommodation and food; occupational safety and health protection; medical care and social security,” he concluded.