By Stanley Kwabla Arku
The Tripartite Committee on Work in Fishing has begun work to fully implement the International Labour Organization’s Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (C188), as the convention comes into force for Ghana today.
The committee, which brings together regulators, employers, and workers in the fishing sector, is tasked with ensuring that the provisions of C188 are given effect through collective decisions and consensus. The convention is aimed at improving the living and working conditions of fishers, particularly those working on vessels 24 meters and above.
The Ghana Maritime Authority leads the committee with support from the Labour Department and the Fisheries Commission. Other worker representatives include the Maritime and Dock Workers Union and the National Union of Seamen, Ports and Allied Workers, while employers are represented by the Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association and the Ghana Tuna Association.
With the trawl fishing season set to open in September, the committee announced that the Maritime Authority will begin issuing Maritime Labour (ML) Certificates to all trawl vessels. These certificates will confirm compliance with the standards set under the C188 convention before vessels are cleared to operate.
Speaking after the meeting, Committee Chairman Awudu Issah emphasized the importance of enforcing better conditions for fishers. “This process ensures that all industry players are aligned so that the provisions of the convention can be properly implemented,” he said.
General Secretary of the National Union of Seamen, Ports and Allied Workers, Michael Angbor, also highlighted progress made since the committee’s formation. He recalled that support from the ILO in 2022 through the 8.7 Accelerator Lab project was instrumental in bringing all stakeholders to the table.
“Since then, most of the major issues raised within the sector have been addressed, with only a few left outstanding,” Angbor said. He added that conditions of work at sea, previously inconsistent with Ghana’s Shipping Act, are gradually being harmonized through the committee’s interventions.
The committee is expected to continue meeting regularly to oversee compliance, mediate between stakeholders, and ensure that fishers’ welfare remains central to the growth of the industry.