Fishing Vessel Safety

In July 2004 the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) wrote to all member States emphasising the concern of IMO in relation to fishing vessels and personnel due to the high level of accidents involving fishing vessels and the number of lives lost as a result of those accidents.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has noted that the fishing sector, which reportedly suffers around 24,000 human losses annually, is still lacking an international mandatory safety regime.

To address the problem of fishing vessel safety the IMO has adopted two international Conventions, viz

• The Torremolinos Protocol of 1993 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977 (Torremolinos Protocol); and
• The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel, 1995 (STCW-F).

The Torremolinos Protocol amends an earlier 1977 Convention which has not entered into force. The Torremolinos Protocol covers the physical requirements for the safety of fishing vessels such as construction, stability, machinery, and fire protection. It also covers requirements for emergency drills.

The Protocol applies to new fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over except where otherwise stated. Structural and machinery requirements generally apply to new fishing vessels 24 metres in length and over, but some equipment requirements (eg, compasses, radar, communications) and emergency drills apply to new and existing ships, including some under 24 metres in length.

STCW-F was adopted in July 1995 and will enter into force one year after 15 States have become Parties to the Convention. This Convention sets out the skills/knowledge standards to be met by personnel serving on seagoing commercial fishing vessels, generally of 24 metres in length and above.

The STCW-F Convention and Torremolinos Protocol have not yet entered into force internationally and Australia is not a Party to either Convention. The Department and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority are currently engaged in consultations with industry and government stakeholders to assist in developing a Government position on Australian implementation of these Conventions.