Fisheries

Over 58 million people are engaged in the primary sector of capture fisheries and aquaculture. Of these, approximately 37 percent are engaged full time, 23 percent part time, and the remainder either occasional fishers or of unspecified status. Over 15 million are working full-time on board fishing vessels.

Fishing is one of the most challenging and hazardous occupations ILO is working to ensure decent work for all fishers. The ILO’s international labour standard concerned specifically with work on board fishing vessels is the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188). This Convention 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. A major effort is underway in the ILO to achieve widespread ratification and implementation of the Convention. Convention No. 188 is a valuable tool for addressing issues concerning migrant fisher and eliminating forced labour and child labour in the fishing sector.

This site provides information on work undertaken by the ILO, as well as work carried out jointly with other United Nations system specialized agencies.

What's new

  1. News

    “Mams Kema” programme empowers women in fisheries sector advocating gender equality and safe working environment

    14 September 2023

  2. News

    ILO teams up with University of Diponegoro in a bid to combat forced labour in the fishing industry

    05 September 2023

  3. © Jean‐Pierre Pellissier/ILO 2023

    Labour migration

    ILO report reveals the challenges and precarity experienced by many Lao migrant workers

    31 August 2023

  4. © ILO 2023

    News

    ILO study recommends digitizing the unions’ grievance tools and case management system for effective advocacy and policy reform

    21 August 2023

  5. © ILO 2023

    Ship to Shore Rights

    Indonesian and Thai employers cooperate to boost labour standards in the seafood industry

    18 August 2023

Publications

  1. Challenges and opportunities to advance decent work in five countries and supply chains: A synthesis report

    01 June 2023

  2. Mapping of organizations, institutions and companies developing digital solutions to address forced labour in the fisheries sector

    26 September 2022

  3. Rough seas: The impact of COVID-19 on fishing workers in South-East Asia

    19 April 2022

Resources

  1. Sectoral Meeting

    Tripartite Meeting on issues relating to Migrant Fishers

    The purpose of the meeting was to discuss issues relating to migrant fishers as part of the follow-up to the Resolution concerning the promotion of welfare for fishers adopted at the 96th Session (2007) of the International Labour Conference.

  1. Report

    Good Labour Practices Programme Report

    The ship to Shore Rights Project is charged with a revision and expansion of the 2012 Good Labour Practices Programme (GLP) which taught workplace labour standards in the Thai shrimp-peeling industry.

  2. Brochure

    Providing decent employment for Pacific fishers

  3. Video

    Ensuring decent work for fishers: ILO's Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (N° 188)

  4. Standards

  5. Guidelines

  6. Training material

  7. Resources

Meetings and events

  1. Tripartite Meeting on Issues relating to Migrant Fishers (Geneva, 18–22 September 2017)

  2. International Conference on Labour Exploitation in the Fishing Sector in the Atlantic Region (25-26 November 2015, Oslo, Norway)

  3. Meeting of Experts to Adopt Flag State Guidelines for the Implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188) (21-25 September 2015)

  4. Second Regional Meeting on the Protection of Migrant Fishers: ASEAN Review of ‘Guidelines on Flag State Inspection of Working and Living Conditions on Board Fishing Vessels’ (28-29 April 2015, Jakarta, Indonesia)

  5. Global Dialogue Forum for the promotion of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No.188) (15-17 May 2013)

  6. Tripartite Meeting of Experts to Adopt Port State Control Guidelines for Implementation of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188) (11-15 February 2010)