Convention No. 188, adopted by the International Labour Conference in 2007 by an overwhelming majority, revises and brings up-to-date earlier ILO fishing Conventions. It provides a modern and flexible regulatory framework for the nearly 40 million people worldwide who work in the sector and covers both large fishing operations and small-scale fisheries. This Convention seeks to ensure that fishers enjoy decent conditions of work, while providing a level playing field for fishing vessel owners. The Convention has also been identified as an important tool in preventing violations of fundamental principles and rights at work, including forced labour and child labour.

Ratification by Angola, a coastal state, brings the Convention within one ratification of the ten that are necessary for its entry into force. Angola, with a coastline of 1,650 kilometres, produced 277,500 tonnes of fishery products in 2012, of which 267,000 tonnes were derived from marine capture fisheries. In the same year, at least 100,000 Angolans were employed in the fisheries sector, which contributed 1.7% per cent to GDP.

The Convention has now been ratified by: Angola, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Congo, Estonia, France, Morocco, Norway and South Africa.