Link
to text of agreement
Status
of agreement
| Basic information |
| Date of adoption | 2 April 1993 |
| Place of adoption | Torremolinos, Spain |
| Entry into force |
Not yet in force |
| Authentic text(s) | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish |
| Summary of provisions |
Objectives
To promote the safety of fishing vessels by the establishment of common minimum standards and rules for the design, constriction and equipment of fishing vessels.
Scope
- Material
All fishing vessels (meaning any vessel used commercially for catching fish, whales, seals, walrus or other living resources of the sea and excluding vessels used exclusively for sport or recreation; processing; research and training; or as fish carriers).
- Geographic
Global.
Organizational mechanism
The International Maritime Organization is given several organizational and administrative functions.
| Description of agreement |
The International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels was adopted in 1977, at an international conference held under IMO auspices in Torremolinos, Spain, and was the first ever multilateral treaty concerned specifically with the safety of fishing vessels. The 1977 Convention contained safety requirements for the construction and equipment of new, decked, seagoing fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over and contained stability requirements for fishing vessels as well as Chapters concerning construction, watertight integrity and equipment; machinery and electrical installations and unattended machinery spaces; fire protection, detection, extinction, and fire fighting; protection of the crew; life-saving appliances; emergency procedures, musters and drills; radiotelegraphy and radiotelephony; and ship-borne navigational equipment.
Reaction to the Convention was slow, however, and during the 1980s it became clear that the Convention was unlikely to enter into force, largely for technical reasons, and it was therefore decided to prepare a replacement in the form of a Protocol, again under IMO auspices. This Protocol was adopted in April 1993 and, although the Convention applies to the same areas and contains similar safety requirements, the 1993 Protocol updates and amends the parent Convention.
Objectives and scope
No specific objectives are set out in the Protocol, although the general objective emerging from its provisions is to promote the safety of industrial (over 24 metres in length) fishing vessels by the establishment of common minimum standards and rules for the design, constriction and equipment of such fishing vessels.
The Protocol, or more specifically the Regulations in the Annex, applies to all new fishing vessels (built on or after date of entry into force of the Protocol) over 24 metres in length. Under the Protocol, “fishing vessel” is defined as any vessel used commercially for catching fish, whales, seals, walrus or other living resources of the sea (excluding vessels used exclusively for sport or recreation; processing; research and training; or as fish carriers).
Participation
The Convention is open for accession by any State. It is not currently in force. Under the Convention, entry into force will occur one year after 15 States with at least an aggregate fleet of 14,000 vessels of 24 metres in length and over (equivalent to approximately 50 per cent of the world fishing fleet of such vessels) have ratified the Protocol. In early 2004, the Protocol has been ratified or acceded to by just 10 States, which together account for approximately 10 per cent of world shipping tonnage.
Organizational structure
No permanent institutional structure is specified under the Protocol, although the International Maritime Organization is allocated certain functions of a secretariat nature, including acting as the depositary for the Protocol and for the provision of certain information by the parties under it and by the allocation of a formal role in the amendment process for the Protocol. (Amendments may be adopted either by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee or by a Conference of Parties to the Protocol).
Main provisions
The central obligation under the Convention is for the parties to give effect to the Regulations contained in an Annex to the Convention. These Regulations contain detailed safety measures in a number of broad areas (presented in the Annex in ten separate Chapters) and cover matters such as:
- construction, watertight integrity and equipment (including technical specifications);
- stability and associated seaworthiness (including minimum stability criteria and regulations relating to specific operating conditions, severe wind and rolling, ice accretion, etc.)
- machinery and electrical installations (for vessels over 45 metres in length)
- fire protection, fire detection, fire extinction and fire fighting (for vessels over 45 metres in length, with additional requirements for vessels over 60 metres in length)
- protection of the crew (including technical specifications relating to deck openings, bulwarks, rails and guards, stairways and ladders)
- Life-saving appliances and arrangements (applying mainly to vessels over 45 metres in length and covering matter such as the number and type of survival and rescue boats, provision of lifejackets, etc.; and specifications for life-saving appliances, etc.)
- emergency procedures, musters and drills;
- radio communications (including requirements for vessels to be equipped for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and other requirements which mirror regulations contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, Chapter IV); and
- ship-borne navigational equipment and arrangements (including specifications for the carriage of navigational equipment).
In addition to implementing the Regulations, the Protocol contains a small number of other provisions, relating to the communication of information, the inspection of certificates and port State control.
| Further information and references |
- Internet sources
- Bibliographic references
International Labour Office, Safety and health in the fishing industry, Geneva, 1999