Fishers face frightening figures

Fish Platform highlights the vulnerability of fishers

SOUTH AFRICA: Fishers are six times more likely to succumb to fatal incidents while working; three times more likely to be in treatment for substance misuse and are more vulnerable to suicide than the general population.

These were some of the frightening statistics shared by members of the Fish Platform working groups during today’s deliberations in Cape Town where the organisation is holding its first meeting outside of Europe since it was established in 2012.

The meeting, which is being hosted at the Sea Safety Training Group’s premises over two days, has brought together stakeholders from industry, government and international organisations from across the globe to piece together strategies for a safer fishing industry that speak to the needs of fishing communities while ashore and at sea.

Adopting a refreshing approach to the proceedings, delegates were encouraged to share experiences and actively participate to promote learning as well as ongoing collaboration. In this spirit, the morning kicked off with an impromptu opportunity for people to provide input on the situations faced in their respective domestic fishing sectors.

While each region and country have their own challenges, it is also clear that the sector faces many common problems that would benefit from collective input. Interestingly, some of these problems are not new and perhaps highlight the lack of resources that the international fishing industry has faced as well as why fishers are considered to be a particularly vulnerable group.

The Fish Platform aims to address some of these issues by creating an international baseline of standards in relation to health and safety of fishing vessel personnel.

Their focus extends across both the commercial as well as the small-scale fishing sectors and the organisation has been successful in attracting the expertise of stakeholders from over 30 countries around the world.

PHOTO: Participants at the Fish Platform meeting hosted by Sea Safety Training Group in Cape Town. (© Maritime Review Africa)

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