SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries Inc. (SFFAII) attended the recent Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Orientation Seminar on International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F) 1995, last September 21, 2018 at Family Country Hotel and Convention Centre, GenSan. Fishing vessel operators and personnel in the country attended the said orientation-seminar.
The International Maritime Organisation estimates that, worldwide, approximately 24,000 people die each year in fishing operations. The Convention is expected to reduce death and injury rates in the global fishing industry by mandating training and safety requirements for crews.
The 1995 STCW-F Convention sets the certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and above. The Convention consists of 15 Articles and an annex containing technical regulations. The STCW-F Convention is the first to establish basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel.
Capt. Diofonce F. Tuñacao (Ret.), the Assistant Vice President for Training of Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP), presented the salient features of the 1995 STCW-F Convention, its proposed amendments and latest status.
Capt. Tuñacao said that there are major issues and concerns affecting the Philippine Fishing Industry and Philippine Regulatory Bodies, MARINA and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, that needs resolution and deliberation before the Philippines comes up with its position in preparation for 6th Session of the Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW 6) meeting scheduled on April, 29 to May 03, 2019.
In his presentation, Capt. Tuñacao recommended that MARINA should organize a nation-wide meeting among the concerned sectors for the discussion/dissemination of the 1995 STCW-F Convention and latest developments of HTW4 and HTW5. He also recommended the creation of an industry-wide technical working group to gather inputs from the concerned sectors to prepare the Philippine position on the various issues on the 1995 STCW-F Convention.
The results of the discussions from the series of meetings will be consolidated to come up with a Philippine position on the ratification of the Convention.
