The fishing industry has grown considerably. This growth, however, has notcome without a cost, in terms of working conditions and occupational safety, to the estimated 35 million full and part-time workers in the fishing sector. To address this, delegates to this year's 92nd International Labour Conference took the first steps toward adopting new international labour standards for what is one of the world's most dangerous professions.

Much has changed in the sector since the last ILO standards were adopted some 40 years ago and a new set of standards will reflect this. They will also provide protection for a greater portion of people in this growing sector - particularly those working on smaller vessels - while also addressing issues such as occupational safety and health and social security protection. The ILO is keenly aware that people in the fishing sector often face harsh or difficult working conditions: they may spend long periods at sea and are frequently exposed to unpredictable and dangerous conditions. In a number of countries, the fatality rates for persons in the fishing sector are many times greater than the national average, for example higher than those for fire-fighters or police. These rates may exceed 150 to 180 per 100,000 workers, rivalled only by such other hazardous occupations as forestry and coal mining.

Currently seven ILO instruments cover working conditions in the sector - five Conventions (minimum age, medical examination, articles of agreement, accommodation and competency certificates) and two Recommendations (vocational training and hours of work). These were adopted in the years of 1920, 1959 and 1966, and are in many ways outdated. The ILO also has standards for seafarers in general. However, these are often aimed primarily at persons working on cargo or passenger ships, and their application to the fishing sector has been left to the discretion of member States. Furthermore, these standards will shortly be consolidated in a single instrument that will not apply to fishers. Finally, because of the special nature of fishing operations, certain ILO standards applicable to all workers, such as those concerning occupational safety and health have often provided the possibility of excluding the fishing sector from their application. A goal of the new instrument under consideration is to mend these "holes in the net" of labour protection for fishers.

The new labour standards would extend coverage to more than 90 per cent of the world's fishers. Existing Conventions cover only about 10 per cent. New labour standards would also take into account the difficult working conditions in the sector as a whole, fishers working on smaller vessels in coastal waters and those working on larger vessels operating for longer periods at sea. A goal of the new instrument will be to provide appropriate labour protection to these persons, in line with the ILO's goal of ensuring Decent Work for all.

The member State under whose flag the vessel sails would retain primary responsibility for the implementation of the standard through national laws and regulations. Specific provisions of the proposed instrument also clarify the role of fishing vessel owners and skippers in ensuring that these requirements are met. An innovation foreseen in the standard is the inclusion of a provision that would promote intervention by port States when conditions aboard fishing vessels visiting their ports are found to be clearly unsafe or unhealthy. The new measure is also designed to fit into the ILO Decent Work agenda: promoting opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.