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OUR WORK

Decent Work

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Most people work on land. Unless rocked by an earthquake, their work stations remain still. Not so for fishers. Their entire work platform rocks and rolls ceaselessly. Non-fishers cannot imagine the risks they face. Fishers work in unique conditions. There are no regular hours. On-board accommodation can be extremely cramped and unhealthy.

The difficulties don’t end when the catch is landed. Fishworkers include those in the harbours; those who process the fish and carry out post-harvest activities; those who work these into markets. Even though women carry out these activities—some even more than men—their contribution is undervalued. They work in difficult conditions, without healthcare or decent facilities, facing violence and harassment.

Trade union membership is low. Which means labour standards and legal frameworks, like those laid down by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to protect fishers, are often not to their benefit. There are also concerns worldwide about forced labour, human trafficking and exploitation of migrant labour.

ICSF has, since its inception in 1986, worked to improve the conditions of work onboard fishing vessels through legal and policy interventions. ICSF has advocated for the inclusion of small-scale fishing vessels in the ILO Work in Fishing Convention C188, which lays down binding requirements concerning work on board fishing vessels, occupational safety, health and medical care at sea and ashore, rest periods, written work agreements. ICSF has worked in partnership with FAO and ILO to address child labour issues in fishing.

Current Programmes

Engaging with the Decent work process related to the adopted Work in Fishing Convention (WFC), 2007 has been an important part of ICSF’s work. ICSF saw engagement with the ILO process as an opportunity to focus greater attention on issues related to the conditions of work in the small-scale fisheries sector, including aspects such as safety at sea, social security, and remuneration and recognition of shore -based workers, especially women.

Resources

Report of the Workshop on Sea Safety and Fisheries Management: Training and Capacity Development of Local Self-Governments, 01–02 March 2023, Thrissur, Kerala

The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) Trust and the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) jointly organized a Training and Capacity Development workshop at KILA, Kerala, India on...

A Study on migration of fishers from Kanyakumari to the cooperation council for the Arab states of the Gulf (CCASG)

This study aims to look at the situation of these migrant fishers to get a better understanding of their recruitment, living and working conditions on the one hand and to...

Report of the proceedings: Enhancing capacities of fishing communities: ICSF-BOBLME Sub-regional dialogue on labour, migration and fisheries management, 11 to 13 December 2013, Maha Chulalongkorn Building, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

This report on the “Sub-regional Dialogue on Labour, Migration and Fisheries Management”, held at, Thailand, from 11 to 13 December 2013, highlights the issue of migrant labour on board fishing...

ICSF Guidebook: Understanding the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 in English

This guidebook is intended mainly to help those unfamiliar with the Convention and the working of the ILO and the ILC, gain some understanding of the relevant issues. In particular,...

ICSF Guidebook: Understanding the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Odia, Tamil, Kannada) By ICSF, 2007

ICSF Guidebook: Understanding the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007  English https://www.icsf.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/930.ICSF119.pdf Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Odia, Tamil, Kannada  

Report of workshop on emerging concerns of fishing communities: Issues of Labour, trade, gender, disaster preparedness, biodiversity and responsible fisheries; Fortaleza, Brazil

The document gives a detailed report of the presentations and discussions transpired in the workshop. It is also worth noting that the discussions at the workshop as well as the...

International legal instruments relevant to fisheries and fishing communities: A handbook on Labour

The conventions and recommendations adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) formulate minimum international standards of basic labour rights: freedom of association, the right to organize, collective bargaining, abolition of...

Social security for fishworkers in Brazil: A case study of Para’

This study explores the status of Brazil’s social welfare system for the fisheries sector, from the point of view of democratization of access, the methodologies used and the extent to...

Social welfare and social security in Sri Lankan fisheries

Since Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948, social welfare for the country’s fishing populations has been the responsibility of successive governments. During the latter half of the last millennium, the State...

Fishing for standards (A collection of articles on ILO’s proposed comprehensive standard on work in the fishing sector-ICSF Dossier)

This dossier puts together reports on workshops held to discuss this proposed standard, as well as analyses of social security measures for fishing communities in the small-scale and artisanal sector...

Cambodia’s labour migration governance framework: A comparative analysis with international labour standards for recruitment, work in fishing and forced labour by ILO, 2024

Cambodia’s labour migration governance framework: A comparative analysis with international labour standards for recruitment, work in fishing and forced labour. The Cambodian Government has recognized that labour migration significantly contributes...

World Social Protection Report 2024-26: Universal social protection for climate action and a just transition by ILO, 2024

The World Social Protection Report 2024-26 focuses on the climate crisis and the need to transition to a more sustainable world, and provides a global overview of progress made around...

Integrating social protection with fisheries management for sustainability: Overview of country case studies by Yuko Okamura et al., 2024

Fishery stocks are declining all over the world, threatening not only the livelihoods of fisheries households and communities, but also food and nutrition security of a broader society. However, many...

World Employment and Social Outlook: September 2024 Update by ILO, 2024

This brief provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest global labour market trends. It focuses on the evolving relationship between labour and capital income, challenges facing youth in the current...

Global Employment Trends for Youth 2024: Decent work, brighter futures by ILO, 2024

This report represents the 20th anniversary publication of the ILO’s Global Employment Trends for Youth (hereafter “GET for Youth”). As an anniversary edition, this GET for Youth looks back on...

Forced labour in commercial fishing by ILO, 2024

This factsheet provides background information on the fishing industry and some of the inherent challenges of work in fishing. It aims to help professionals interested in this issue raise their...

Social Protection in the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector by FAO, 2021

This video is part of the “Social Protection in Rural Areas: building responsive systems in the context of Covid-19” series at the FAO e-learning academy. This session gives us an...

Ep. 18: Social protection, sustainability and fisheries

The UN General Assembly has declared 2022 as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022) to enhance global awareness and promote collaboration around the theme. To provide...

Plan of action for enhanced safety, decent work and social protection in the fisheries sector of the Bay of Bengal Programme region (BOBSAFE) by FAO, 2023

The marine fisheries sector in Bangladesh, India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, the member countries of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter- Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO), plays a pivotal role in advancing...

Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate: Global report by ILO, 2024

Climate change is already having serious impacts on the safety and health of workers in all regions of the world. Workers are among those most exposed to climate change hazards...

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