Risk Wise

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The Chennai Declaration on Sea Safety for Artisanal and Small-Scale Fishermen

Conscious

that fishing is the world’s most

dangerous occupation with more than

24,000 deaths per year attributable to

weaknesses in the institutional and

regulatory environment, a declining resource

base, and poor socioeconomic conditions in

the sector;

Realizing

that sea safety regimes are weakest

amongst the artisanal and small-scale

fisheries sectors, particularly in developing

countries;

Realizing

that more than 80 per cent of the

world’s artisanal and small-scale fishers are

concentrated in Asia, where many of the

coastal target stocks are over or fully

exploited;

Recognizing

that the consequences of loss of

life fall most heavily on the surviving families,

for whom alternative sources of livelihood

may not exist;

Concerned

about the inadequacy of social

and political will to address the issue of

fatalities amongst artisanal and small-scale

fishermen;

Accepting

that the issue of safety for the

artisanal and small-scale fisheries sectors is

not fully recognized, or acknowledged, by

fisheries policy objectives and further, that

the focus is more on economic and resource

management issues than the safety of

artisanal and small-scale fishermen;

Concerned

that current fisheries

management regimes for coastal fisheries in

the region may lead to increased levels of

operational risk for artisanal and small-scale

fishermen;

Concerned

that safety measures, together

with supporting regulations and standards

relevant to the needs of artisanal and small-

scale fisheries sectors, remain inadequately

addressed by fisheries and maritime

administrations in the region;

Recognizing

that neither are the Torremolinos

International Convention for the Safety of

Fishing Vessels, 1977, as amended by the

1993 Protocol, and the 1995 Convention for

the Standards of Training, Certification and

Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel in

force, nor are they applicable to fishing

vessels under 24 metres in length;

Recognizing

the limitations in institutional

capacity of fisheries and maritime

administrations in the region to undertake all

responsibilities associated with their

mandate;

Realizing

that fishing operations are carried

out in a hostile and hazardous environment

from vessels often having weaknesses in

their design, construction and equipment,

thus being prone to failure;

Accepting

that fishermen in both traditional

and diversified fisheries are exposed to

inherently high levels of risk and resulting

accidents, for which there are few survival or

rescue strategies;

Emphasizing

the urgent need to address the

multi-dimensional issue of sea safety for

artisanal and small-scale fishermen on a

regional basis and in a holistic manner and

recognizing that the problem is not

insurmountable;

We, the representatives of Fisheries

and Maritime Administrations, Coast

Guard/Navy and Fishermen’s

Associations, nominated by the

Governments of Bangladesh, India,

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Sri

Lanka and Thailand, having

participated in the BOBP/FAO

Regional Workshop on Sea Safety for

Artisanal and Small-scale Fishermen

held in Chennai, India from 8th to

12th October 2001, now therefore:

Resolve

to address, as a matter of urgency,

the issue of safety at sea for artisanal and

small-scale fishermen;

Recommend

that sea safety issues be

comprehensively integrated into member

country’s fisheries policy and management

frameworks. This would include associated

commitments under the Code of Conduct for

Responsible Fisheries and other regional,

inter-regional or global instruments and

initiatives;

Recommend

measures, which would result in

a harmonized and holistic fisheries

management framework for the Bay of

Bengal;

Emphasize

the need to rationalize

institutional mandates, legislation, regulation

and enforcement at the national level, in

order to enhance sea safety in artisanal and

small-scale fisheries;

Ensure

the incorporation of FAO/IMO/ILO

Voluntary Guidelines for the Design,

Construction and Equipment of Small Fishing

Vessels and the FAO/IMO/ILO Document for

Guidance on the Training and Certification of

Fishing Vessel Personnel into regulatory

frameworks, as appropriate;

Recommend

that fisheries and maritime

administrations enhance their knowledge of

the operations and constraints of the

artisanal and small-scale fisheries sectors in

order to formulate effective guidelines,

standards and regulations for the safety of

fishing vessels, including the certification and

training of crews;

Recommend

the development and

implementation of education, training and

awareness programmes which satisfy

regulatory requirements, while also building a

culture of sea safety within artisanal and

small-scale fishing communities;

Recommend

that mandatory requirements

for improving sea safety be supplemented by

other strategies which involve the

participation of the fisher communities,

families, the media, and other stakeholders

in order to promote the adoption of a wide

range of safety measures;

Recommend

that member countries

undertake measures directed towards

ensuring enhanced economic viability of

artisanal and small-scale fishing enterprises

as an essential element of the sea safety

issue;

Recommend

that administrations consider

the provision of financial and other incentives

to encourage and ensure the widespread use

of safety equipment, together with training in

the use of such equipment;

Recommend

that a programme of applied

research and development be initiated,

focusing on the development of cost effective

safety related equipment relevant to the

needs of the artisanal and small-scale

fisheries sectors;

Strongly

recommend the formulation and

implementation of a regional sea safety

programme, employing a consultative and

participatory approach, building upon

institutionally derived data, together with the

operational experience of artisanal and

small-scale fisher communities;

Recommend

that the issue of sea safety be

addressed on an urgent basis. This could be

achieved through a regional mechanism such

as the Inter Governmental Organization

proposed by the BOBP member-countries

during the 24th meeting of the BOBP

Advisory Committee at Phuket, Thailand. (The

Phuket Resolution - October 1999);

Agree

to seek the support of the donor

community for the development of a sea

safety programme, and also request FAO to

seek such assistance on our behalf.

Adapted on 12 October 2001

in Chennai, India

Image: BOBP