This circular describes the fisheries accident management process. It contains guidelines for national agencies (competent authorities) involved in fisheries accident investigations. It provides competent authorities and their investigators with a structured approach to meeting their legislative requirements to record, investigate, analyse, and report on accidents in the fishing sector. These guidelines are based on international standards, models and lessons learned from various countries where similar accident management processes are in use. The draft guidelines were discussed and finalized at a Train - the - Trainer workshop on safety at sea for small-scale fishers in the Caribbean, which was attended by 30 professionals on safety at sea and fisheries from seven Caribbean countries and was held in Castries, Saint Lucia in January 2020. The fisheries accident management process outlined may also be useful for other regions, which have similar safety challenges and opportunities for safety improvements in fisheries. These guidelines are intended to apply to a wide range of undesired events, such as accidents involving minor and serious injuries, fatalities, vessel damage, incidents involving damaged equipment and near misses.

In 2021/2022, FAO studied the role of regional fishery bodies (RFBs) in promoting safety and decent work in fisheries under their mandates. Secretariats of thirty-seven regional fisheries management organizations and regional fishery advisory bodies representing inland and marine small-scale and industrial fisheries across the globe participated in a survey. The research showed that safety at sea is a priority for 51 percent of the RFBs. Thirty-five percent regard safety as important, but not a priority. Moreover, 38 percent of the RFBs surveyed consider decent working conditions a priority. Decent working conditions are important, but not a priority for almost 30 percent of the RFBs. The basic texts of RFBs provide the main legal basis for their mandate to work on safety and decent work in fisheries. Commission meetings and requests by members contribute substantially to RFB measures on these subjects. Management measures, especially for safety of observers, are often the entry point for work on safety and decent work standards by regional fisheries management organizations. The obligations of members under international fishing safety instruments also play a role. RFB secretariats support safety in fisheries through trainings and manuals (32 percent), awareness raising materials (32 percent), and recommendations and measures (24 percent). Most RFB secretariats noted that decent working conditions in fisheries have not been addressed or are not within the mandate of these organizations. Some RFBs however prioritize decent working conditions in fisheries. Since 2018, several RFBs have supported decent work and safety in fisheries through regional technical seminars organized by FAO in collaboration with the Apostleship of the Sea, International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization. These seminars aimed to address illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, decent work and safety in fisheries. Knowledge of international fishing safety instruments is generally limited among RFB secretariats. The technical, financial and human capacity limitations within the secretariats impede their attention to safety and decent work. Many RFB secretariats recognize that development of action plans would be beneficial to integrate safety and decent work better in the management of fishing fleets under their mandates. FAO is supporting some RFBs with their action planning processes, with assistance from the European Commission DG Mare.

This book presents the results from the Japanese Fisheries Research Agency’s 3-year intensive monitoring of radionuclides in a variety of fish, plankton, benthos, and their living environments after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) accident in March 2011. The book reveals the dynamics of contamination processes in marine and freshwater fish, mediated by the contamination of water, sediments, and food organisms; it also clarifies the mechanisms by which large variations in the level of contamination occurs among individual fish. Most importantly, the book includes a large amount of original measurement data collected in situ and for the first time assesses diffusion of radiocesium across the Pacific using both in situ data and a numerical simulation model. Also introduced are several new approaches to evaluate the impact of the release of radionuclides, including the measurement of radiation emission from an otolith section to identify the main period of contamination in fish. The FNPP accident represents a rare instance where the environmental radioactivity level was elevated steeply through atmospheric fallout and direct discharge of radioactive water into the sea over a short period of time. Replete with precise scientific data, this book will serve as an important resource for research in fields such as fishery science, oceanography, ecology, and environmentology, and also as a solid basis for protecting fisheries from damage resulting from harmful rumors among the general public.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2021 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.

Drawing on previous surveys and country statistics, this report gives a regional overview of safety at sea, particularly for the small-scale fisheries sector. It notably focuses on vessel design, data recording, legislation and fisheries management.