Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

Fishermen's Competency Certificates Convention, 1966 (No. 125) - Belgium (Ratification: 1969)

Article 6, paragraph 1(b), of the Convention. Further to its previous comments the Committee notes from the Government's most recent report that the candidates to exercise the duties of mate on board all fishing vessels should not only meet all the requirements provided for in section 15 of the Royal Order of 21 May 1958 concerning certificates of competency in merchant shipping, maritime fishing and pleasure craft, but also those of section 1 of the Law of 29 June 1983 regarding school obligations: meeting the requirement of part-time schooling. The fishing skipper candidate, having met all the requirements for the exercise of the duties of mate on board all fishing vessels, would, in practice, be older than 19 years old. The Committee recalls that this Article of the Convention requires the minimum age for the issue of a certificate of competency in the case of a mate to be prescribed by national laws or regulations and hopes that the necessary measures will be taken in due course in this respect.