Health & Safety Strategy being developed to improve local seabob sector

Health & Safety Strategy being developed to improve local seabob sector

Globally, the fishing industry is considered one of the most hazardous occupations, with an ever-existing risk of vessels capsizing, exposure to viruses and bacterial contamination, harsh weather conditions; and potential failure of gears, nets, engines, ropes and other equipment on board vessels.
As such, an Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) Strategy for the seabob value chain is being developed under the FISH4ACP programme by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Fisheries Department, the Guyana Association of Trawler Owners and Seafood Processors (GATOSP), the Guyana National Fisherfolk Organization (GNFO), and other key stakeholders.
This is according to a recent release from FAO, which relayed that the report is expected to be developed within 18 months, after which it would be handed over to the industry.
This OSH Strategy seeks to improve the well-being of workers, strengthen operational safety and health standards, and build long-term sustainability and resilience in the seabob sector.
It will also strengthen risk assessment and risk task management practices along the seabob value chain, while upgrading current policies and practices to protect this fishery.
“Additionally, it will help export firms to maintain compliance with national and international labour standards as required by the Ministries of Labour and Health in Guyana, and comply with the labour requirements introduced by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in 2022,” the release stated.
“We, the members of GATOSP, welcome this initiative of the FAO FISH4ACP Project, as it will assist with the development of the OSH Strategy for the seabob sector. This will ensure that the revised policy meets not only the MSC certification process, but also help them to meet the Ministries of Health and Labour OSH requirements,” said Reuben Charles, GATOSP President.
Maintaining MSC certification is essential for export market access, and increasingly, the new European Union regulations are requiring exporting firms to demonstrate how they are meeting internationally-recognised standards for labour practices, the release revealed.
“This strategy will help the industry to meet national and international standards, and also benefit the fishers who ply their trade in tough conditions by providing them with better awareness on health and safety at work and at the landing sites,” said Pamashwar Jainarine, GNFO Chairman.
The strategy development process commenced with an initial awareness and assessment of the current OSH conditions, policies, and regulations across the value chain, and will be followed by a series of consultations among stakeholders to develop a Risk Assessment and Risk Management Manual.
“Trawler captains and crews, dock/transport workers and seafood processing workers and managers will then be trained on the safety and health measures of the value chain operations. Artisanal (Chinese Seine) seabob fishers will also receive training through the fisherfolk cooperatives on OSH and risk assessment to improve the lives of fishers at sea and on land,” the release stated.
Guyana is one of 12 countries participating in the five-year FISH4ACP program, conceptualized by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and implemented by FAO, aimed towards supporting the development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, with the country being the world’s largest producer of Atlantic Seabob.
A January 2023 FAO report of the seabob value chain in Guyana revealed that while the country’s seabob population is healthy, it is not fully exploited, and success of the industry relies heavily on strong management of the resource.
“Although seabob unavailability, or unreliability of supply, is largely due to the declining catch…various value-adding opportunities exist for artisanal actors (including fishers, processors and market vendors) to better tap into the unmet domestic demand,” the report stated.