"ITF [International Transport Workers Federation] Welcomes ILO Meeting's Decision on Migrant Fishers," 23 September 2017

The ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) has welcomed today’s adoption by the ILO (International Labour Organization) tripartite meeting on issues relating to migrant fishers of a fundamental resolution on those issues. The resolution aims to address matters such as close cooperation between UN agencies for a rapid implementation of international instruments, including a formal campaign to increase ratification of Convention 188, as well as the development of guidelines on labour recruitment. It also calls for member states to effectively cooperate on criminal cases and abuses against migrant fishers. In the conclusions of the meeting, the tripartite discussion agreed that the promotion of decent work for migrant fishers is fundamental to providing a fair and healthy labour market in such a challenging industry.

Johnny Hansen, chair of the ITF fisheries’ section and the spokesperson for workers at the meeting, commented: "Today we moved a step closer to ensuring that migrant workers are better protected and considered equal to all other fishers..."