Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2007, published 97th ILC session (2008)

Accommodation of Crews (Fishermen) Convention, 1966 (No. 126) - Brazil (Ratification: 1994)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report.

Articles 3(2) and 5(2), of the Convention. Inspection system. The Committee notes the Government’s indications concerning the mandate and staffing of the two National Port Labour Inspection Coordinating Offices, which operate under the Labour Inspection Secretariat and which are responsible for carrying out periodic inspection visits to vessels while in port. It also notes the information provided by the Government concerning the sanctions for violations of the labour legislation provided for in the Navigation Safety Act No. 9537/97 of 11 December 1997. The Committee would appreciate receiving additional information on the number and nature of any accommodation-related deficiencies reported in recent years on-board fishing vessels and the sanctions imposed as well as copies of any relevant official documents, such as guidelines or manuals, currently in use by port labour inspectors.

Articles 6 to 16. Crew accommodation requirements. The Committee notes the information concerning the ongoing work for the preparation of a technical annex to Regulatory Norm No. 30 on Maritime Labour which is expected to regulate the occupational safety and health conditions specific to industrial and commercial fishing and thus give effect to the detailed requirements of Part III of the Convention. According to the Government’s indications, a tripartite Committee on Fisheries has been established within the National Permanent Committee for the Maritime and Waterways Sector to formulate additional provisions to cover hygiene and comfort on board fishing vessels, especially as regards conditions of accommodation, cabins, bunks, mess rooms and recreation rooms, galleys, sanitary installations, areas for washing, drying and storing clothes. The Government adds that the new provisions will be based on ILO Conventions Nos 126 and 133, European Union standards on occupational safety and health in fishing and the recent FAO/IMO/ILO guidelines on safety and health on fishing vessels. Recalling that the Government has been reporting since 1996 that it is in the process of reviewing existing standards and drawing up new ones which would comply with the requirements of the Convention, the Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of any progress made in this respect, and to provide a copy of the fisheries annex to Regulatory Norm No. 30 as soon as it is finalized.

In this connection, the Committee wishes to draw the Government’s attention to the new Convention on work in the fishing sector, which was adopted at the 96th Session of the International Labour Conference in June 2007, and which aims at revising and bringing up to date in an integrated manner all existing ILO fishing instruments. The Committee trusts that in preparing the technical annex to Regulatory Norm No. 30, the tripartite Committee on Fisheries will give due consideration to the new comprehensive standard on fishers’ working and living conditions.