Within nine months of launching, the International Fund for Fishing Safety, (IFFS) has committed funding totalling £220,000 to support six fishing safety projects in South Africa, Ghana, Fiji, Kenya, Thailand and Vietnam. Together, these first six initiatives are directly improving the safety of 65,000 fishers.
IFFS was set up by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, The Seafarers’ Charity, and FISH Platform, to fund practical improvements in safety led by fishing organisations on the ground, primarily in the Global South and among smaller-scale fishers.
South Africa & Namibia
The very first IFFS funded project is from the Sea Safety Bee Trust in Cape Town, South Africa. Fishing vessel auditors have been trained to deliver a higher standard of support for safety compliance across the fishing fleet in both South Africa and Namibia. More info here.
Ghana
In Ghana, the Dutch ProSea Foundation is working in partnership with a local Ghanaian organisation called Friends of the Nation. Practical safety training in local languages will be delivered, and a hazard reporting system established. IFFS funding will thereby help to save lives in Ghana’s fisheries sector, which provides livelihoods for over three million people (8% of the population).
The Ghanaian small-scale fleet consists of more than 13,000 canoes, employing around 140,000 fishers. This project is focused on improving safety and sustainability starting in the southwestern part of Ghana, where coastal communities are heavily reliant on fisheries.
Vietnam
Vietnam’s coastline is 3,260 km long and the country has over 600,000 fishers. The Vietnam Tuna Association will help to enhance the safety of Vietnamese fishers, specifically by improving vessel safety. The IFFS funding will support research, improving vessel equipment, essential sea safety training, a public relations campaign and ultimately the establishment of safety-compliant fishing fleet models in Vietnam and small-scale fisheries.
Hoang Nguyen is running the Vietnam Tuna Association’s safety project and said, 'This is awesome, and very good news for us. You made my day. Thanks for your support and consideration. We are ready to translate our proposal into reality and hopefully, it will bring a huge impact to the fisher communities and benefit 16,000 people working here in Vietnam.'
Kenya
In Kenya, Stella Maris will deliver safety training and lifesaving skills to fishers in Kenya’s coastal regions, great rivers and great lakes, to reduce the impact of the endemic risks of fishing in the country. The IFFS grant will also support a lifejacket rental pilot programme, which will help overcome one of the barriers to their use.
Thailand
Stella Maris is also developing an initiative in Thailand which will see 2,300 fishers trained on healthy and safe working practices, specifically aimed at reducing the number of physical injuries and fatalities on vessels.
Fiji
IFFS has travelled even further south on the world map to Fiji. IFFS is funding the Human Dignity Group to assist local Fijian nationals to be trained and certified as fishing crew for improved on-board safety, with the added benefit of economic improvement of local communities. Professional training will reduce accidents on vessels and these benefits will flow through to communities.
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'Actions are speaking louder than words. Twelve months ago, IFFS was still a concept. Today, Team IFFS, through supporting successful applicants from right around the world is putting words into action. The successful delivery of these projects will save fishers’ lives and that is what is important above all else. IFFS has been designed by fishers for fishers. Safer fishers means sustainable fisheries. This is a start, there is so much more to do, and we urge everyone with an interest in saving human lives at sea to join with IFFS' founding partners to help us realise our ambitions.'
Alan McCulla, OBE
IFFS Coordinator
If you’d like to hear more about how these projects are going to help people, listen to the latest Sea Views podcast “Global Solutions For Fishing Safety” with the Fund Coordinator.
If you have an idea to keep fishers safe and are interested in applying for funding contact Alan McCulla the IFFS Coordinator on Alan.McCulla@theseafarerscharity.org or www.fishplatform.org.
