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Accommodation of Crews (Fishermen) Convention, 1966 (No. 126) - Sierra Leone (RATIFICATION: 1967)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Articles 6, 10 and 12 of the Convention. Crew accommodation. The Committee has been commenting for a number of years on the application of Article 6(7–9) and (11–16) of the Convention (structure and arrangement of crew accommodation), Article 10(22 and 26) (furniture and berthing), and Article 12(2, 7, 10 and 11) (sanitary and laundry facilities), in respect of vessels of 75 gross registered tons or more. In this regard, the Government indicated in its last report that new regulations had been issued for the fishing industry in order to apply the Convention. The Government also stated that progress was being made and that a national workshop on the formulation of fishing policies had been organized. The Government further indicated that copies of the new legislation and policy regulations would be communicated to the ILO as soon as they were adopted.

The Committee asks the Government to supply a copy of the regulations issued. It also requests the Government to provide detailed information on the outcome of the national workshop on fishing policies and on any concrete progress made in respect of the adoption of new legislation giving effect to the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to structural difficulties and lack of material capacity to finalize the process. It recalls that the Office remains ready to offer expert advice and respond favourably to any specific request for technical assistance in this regard. Finally, the Committee would appreciate receiving up to date information on the effect given to the Convention in practice, as requested under Parts III and V of the report form, including information concerning the number of fishers and fishing vessels covered by the Convention.

The Committee also draws the Government’s attention to the new Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188), which was adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 96th Session (June 2007) and which revises and updates most ILO instruments on fishing, including Convention No. 126. The Committee requests the Government to pay all due attention to this new global instrument on the working and living conditions of fishers and to keep the Office informed of any decision which it might take with a view to its ratification.