South Africa Signs Treaty on Fishing Vessel Personnel
South Africa has become the 25th State to sign up to the IMO treaty on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F).
The Convention sets the certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and above.
H.E. Dr. Bonginkosi Emmanuel Nzimande, Minister of Transport of South Africa, met International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London, to deposit the instrument of accession (2 July).
South Africa ratified the Cape Town Agreement on fishing vessel safety in 2016.
When it comes to fishing vessel safety, the mission is clear, says Sandra Allnutt of the IMO: enhance safety to save lives.
“We want to reduce loss of life in one of the most dangerous professions in the world, and we want to enhance safety on board fishing vessels,” said Ms Allnutt, Head of Maritime Technology in IMO’s Maritime Safety Division, following a regional seminar, in Cape Town, South Africa, to promote ratification and implementation of a key fishing vessel safety treaty known as the Cape Town Agreement of 2012.
The Cape Town Agreement was adopted at an international conference held in South Africa in 2012, as a means to bring into effect the provisions of the 1977 Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, which was later modified by the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol.
In ratifying the 2012 Agreement, Parties agree to amendments to the provisions of the 1993 Protocol, so that they can come into force as soon as possible thereafter.
