Maritime charity launches new online training to drive up welfare standards in fishing sector

A new online training course has been launched by a leading maritime charity to help drive up welfare standards in the fishing sector.

The Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB), the umbrella charity for the UK Merchant Navy and fishing fleets, developed the course to raise further awareness of the UK legislation on the International Convention on Work in Fishing (C188).

This legislation was introduced to improve safety and welfare for commercial fishers around the world.  The video underpins knowledge already gained on key elements in the Board’s Work in Fishing Convention (C188) Everything you wanted to know but were frightened to ask! Guide, produced in consultation with The Fishermen’s Mission, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Nautilus International and the Fishing Industry Safety Group (FISG). This includes the requirements for ML5 medical certification for fishers.

The course is targeted at all ship visitors that either volunteer or are employed by UK seafarer welfare visiting organisations providing welfare services to the fishing industry, fishers and those working in fishing ports and harbours.

It also aims to inform all those with an interest in commercial fishing, from vessel owners and skippers to crew from all nations and those in the maritime charitable sector who may be unfamiliar with fishing, to understand the legal welfare standards applicable to fishing vessels.

Stuart Rivers, Chief Executive of the MNWB, says the course is just what the sector needs.

“There are around 10,000 fishers working on UK registered vessels who are vital to the supply chain. And we all have an important role to play in ensuring our hard-working fishers receive first-class welfare support in a job that demands long hours and can result in loneliness,” he said.

“This is why the new C188 video is so important in educating those who are involved in the fishing sector in some capacity which in turn will improve people’s confidence from advice on health and safety and medical treatment to contracts and recruitment.”

The video comes following a number of face-to-face training sessions on C188 the Board held in early 2023 with a demand for something more wider and accessible.

Trinity House, a maritime safety and welfare organisation, sponsored the video project by allocating funds provided by the Department for Transport.

Trinity House’s Deputy Master Rear Admiral Iain Lower said:

“The International Convention is designed to improve the working lives of fishers, in whose safety and welfare we all have a vested interest and a part to play. As such, we are delighted to allocate funds to back the C188 training video that accompanies the easy-to-use guide; better understanding of the welfare standards will no doubt lead to a positive difference for this hard-working sector.”

A short quiz has also been designed to test the participant’s knowledge once the video has been viewed.

To watch the video and take the quiz, click here