ILO underlines power of social dialogue to promote decent work in fisheries

BRUSSELS (ILO News) - The ILO discussed the path forward to promote socially sustainable fisheries in the EU at a conference entitled A sea of change: Advancing social sustainability in fisheries through dialogue, organized by the EU social partners in the fisheries sector, Europêche and the

Lieve Verboven, the Director of ILO-Brussels, congratulated the social partners for adopting Practical guidelines for the decent recruitment of migrant fishers, which tackle a major entry point for forced labour in fisheries. The guidelines are a pillar of the EU co-funded project 'Pillars of the Sea 3', a project that implements part of the sectoral social dialogue committee's work programme towards socially sustainable fishing.

In October 2025, the ILO will organize a tripartite Meeting of Experts to adopt Guidelines on fair labour market services for migrant fishers in the fishing sector. The ETF/Europêche guidelines will be a major source of inspiration for the work on the draft text that will serve as a basis for discussion.

The Director also called on all EU Member States to ratify and effectively implement the ILO Work in Fishing Convention (No. 188). The Convention contains provisions that seek to provide concrete protections for all five ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

This includes provisions against blacklisting that protect the right of fishers to organize and bargain collectively, health and safety provisions to address workplace hazards and worker well-being, model contracts and protections against wage theft to stop forced labour, and provisions to ensure no child labour or discrimination in hiring practices.

"The Work in Fishing Convention needs the EU as a role model," said Ms Verboven. The Paris Memorandum of Understanding for port State control, which is considering commencing port State control of fishing vessels, is awaiting a wider ratification of Convention 188 by its European Members before designating it as a relevant instrument. Port State control plays a crucial role in effectively enforcing legal frameworks to promote decent work in fishing.

In concluding the Director underscored a shared commitment to improving working conditions at sea, and invited participants to keep up their efforts to make decent work and sustainable fishing the paradigm of reference for the industry.