Workshop "Enhancing Good Practices on Occupational Safety in Fishery"

On March 16, 2025, in Nha Trang city, Vietnam Tuna Association organized a workshop "Enhancing Good Practices on Occupational Safety in Fishery." This event is a part of the "Improving Occupational Safety at Sea" project, funded by International Fund for Fishing Safety. There are participations from over 40 fishermen and ship owners, representatives from seafood processing businesses, lecturers, and university students.

The goal of workshop is to raise awareness among fishermen about improving working conditions and enhancing occupational safety at sea. The workshop provided basic knowledge related to healthcare, first aid on boats, the use of life-saving and firefighting equipment, and communication in emergency situations. Staffs of Vietnam Tuna Association introduced the ILO Convention 188 on "Work in fishing"; "Good Practices in Ensuring Occupational Safety on Fishing Vessels," "Communication and Safety Systems at Sea for Fishing Vessels," and "Guidelines on Equipping and Using Life-saving and Firefighting Equipment”, “Introduction of COPPA”… VINATUNA also presented the progress of the Fishery Improvement Project towarding achieving MSC certification for Vietnamese yellowfin tuna sector. As a results, the workshop offered recommendations for fishermen to practice good occupational safety at sea, improving working conditions and enhancing the effectiveness of their fishing activities.

Mr. Nguyen Van Luong, a local fishing vessel owner, said, “Thanks to the workshop, I’ve learned many skills for problem resolving when necessary. Moreover, I’ve gained knowledge in healthcare and taking care of crew’s health, especially the important first aid skills. As a result, we feels more confident to stay at sea leading to productive operation, enhance the effectiveness of fishing trips.” Other fishermen also expressed a desire to participate in regular training activities, by which establish an environment for sharing experiences and improving professional knowledge and skills. 

The workshop was a success and received positive feedback from participants. It provided an opportunity for fishermen to exchange experiences and obtain practical knowledge about occupational safety at sea during fishing trip. Based on the positive responses from the fishermen, the Vietnam Tuna Association will continue to work with stakeholders to implement further activities for improvements, raising awareness, enhancing working conditions and occupational safety for fishermen, contributing to the sustainable development of the fishing industry.