Vigo - Spain - Autumn 2026

Welcome by the chair of the meeting.

Review of previous meetings actions as well as any other open actions.

Participants are invited to give a brief update on developments relating to health and safety in the fishing industry within their own company, region or country.

Update on the plans by the IMO to revise the Cape Town Agreement.

The annexes contain accident reports which investigate accidents in the fishing industry and the lessons that can be learnt from them. These are reports written in English or containing a summary in English, and published in the period between the previous and the current meeting.

The reports are presented for information. Participants at the meeting are invited to raise any specific report for discussion.

Update on the ongoing revision of IMO Model Course 7.05 (Skipper on a Fishing Vessel) and Model Course 7.07 (Chief Engineer and Second Engineer Officer on a Fishing Vessel), including progress of the IMO Correspondence Group review process, key deadlines towards HTW 13, and coordination of the FISH Platform's consolidated contribution and comments.

An overview of the state of affairs at IFFS by Alan McCulla, coordinator of IFFS.

Report on the IMHA Health Surveillance of Fishers Workshop 2026 which was held on 23 and 24 November 2026 in Vigo Spain, attended by several FISH Platform members.

An issue of concern is the use of medication and allergies amongst crew members in relation to privacy. In several countries, the shipowner/employer is, for reason of privacy legislation, not allowed to ask about the use of medication or allergies that are relevant, in the event of a medical emergency, to the treatment and recovery of the crew.

That raises the questions:

1. As a shipowner/employer, how do you deal with this when you also have a duty of care towards these people?
2. Is there any international legislation governing this?
3. How do other countries deal with this in their legislation and/or in practice?

The International Maritime Health Association has now been consulted on how to deal with this issue.

The topic has been placed on the agenda here to share knowledge and experience, so that all participants can take appropriate measures with their constituencies.

IMO Requirements for Medical Stretchers on Fishing Vessels

Executive Summary There is no IMO convention that establishes a mandatory service life, replacement interval, certification period, or dedicated inspection regime for medical stretchers carried on board fishing vessels. Instead, IMO instruments require that vessels carry appropriate medical and rescue equipment, and that all safety and emergency equipment be maintained in a serviceable condition. Replacement of a stretcher is therefore based on its condition, functionality, flag State requirements, manufacturer instructions, and surveyor assessment rather than on a fixed IMO age limit.

1. IMO Requirements Relevant to Stretchers

1.1 Life-saving and emergency equipment The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code contain detailed requirements for life-saving appliances and their maintenance. However, stretchers are not listed as a certified life-saving appliance subject to specific IMO approval and replacement requirements in the same way as lifeboats, liferafts, lifejackets, immersion suits, or rescue boats.

1.2 Fishing vessels For fishing vessels, the principal IMO instrument is the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels and its related implementation instruments. These focus on vessel construction, stability, fire protection, life-saving appliances, radio communications, and safety management. They do not prescribe a fixed replacement interval or certification requirement for medical stretchers.

2. Inspection Requirements Although IMO conventions do not require the periodic certification of a stretcher itself, the vessel's safety equipment must be maintained and available for emergency use. During flag State surveys, Port State Control inspections, or class inspections, surveyors may check whether:

• A stretcher required by the vessel's safety equipment inventory is available.
• The stretcher is readily accessible.
• Straps, securing arrangements, lifting points, and handles are intact.
• The stretcher is clean and fit for use.
• Associated medical and rescue equipment is maintained properly.

If a stretcher is damaged or clearly unserviceable, inspectors may require corrective action even though no specific IMO stretcher certificate exists.

3. Certification Requirements IMO level There is no standalone IMO certificate for a medical stretcher carried on board a fishing vessel. IMO conventions do not require periodic re-certification of stretchers comparable to the servicing requirements for liferafts, hydrostatic releases, or immersion suits.

National level Some flag States or fisheries administrations may include stretcher carriage requirements within national fishing vessel regulations, medical carriage rules, or occupational safety legislation. In such cases, compliance is normally verified during vessel surveys rather than through certification of the stretcher itself.

4. Replacement Requirements No fixed IMO lifespan The IMO has not established an official lifespan for stretchers carried on fishing vessels. No convention provision specifies replacement after a certain number of years.

When replacement is required

Replacement is generally expected when:

• The stretcher is damaged.
• Structural integrity is compromised.
• Lifting straps or securing devices have deteriorated.
• Corrosion, cracking, deformation, or contamination affects safe use.
• The manufacturer declares the equipment unserviceable or beyond its recommended life.
• A surveyor, flag State inspector, or employer determines that it is no longer fit for purpose.

5. Practical Conclusion

For fishing vessels under IMO-related safety regimes:

• There is no IMO-mandated certification for medical stretchers.
• There is no IMO-mandated inspection interval specifically for stretchers, although they may be checked during vessel surveys and safety inspections.
• There is no IMO-mandated replacement age or service life.
• The stretcher must remain fit for purpose, readily available, and maintained in serviceable condition, with replacement carried out whenever its condition no longer ensures safe casualty handling.

Presentation on the EU-funded project WaveForward.

The International Fishing Industry Safety & Health Conference (IFISH) is the international conference dedicated to fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing health and safety. Since 2000, IFISH has offered researchers, safety and health professionals, instructors, workers and industry experts, ergonomists, governmental and regulatory representatives, and other professionals the opportunity to attend keynote lectures, workshops, presentations, and poster sessions that feature new occupational health and safety research findings and innovations.

In this agenda item an update is given on the planned IFISH conference in 2027.

This agenda item includes a presentation on the Safetrawl project.

Although Safetrawl I resulted in a functional prototype that monitors the stability of a fishing vessel, there were still a number of hurdles to overcome before a finished, market-ready device could be developed that could actively contribute to reducing the risk of capsizing, particularly for vessels under 24 metres. This is precisely what Safetrawl II aims to achieve.

In Safetrawl II, work is continuing on the prototype of the device designed to warn fishermen in the event of an asymmetrical load and a real risk of capsizing. Within the scope of the project, the aim is to further develop the prototype into a commercially viable and innovative stability instrument that will calculate the key stability factors in real time at any moment and under all conditions and display them on a device in the bridge. This is to ensure that, upon completion of this project, the device can find its way into the Belgian fishing fleet.

For this reason, this follow-up project will look beyond simply the angle of heel (which was measured using an inclinometer in the first phase). The device and the fishing vessels will therefore be further equipped with additional sensors, such as innovative boom angle meters, and, where available and as required, data from VISTools relating to, amongst other things, fuel and traction. This is to incorporate factors contributing to imbalance – such as boom tilt, the weight of the nets, fuel storage and other variables – into the stability calculation.

This should subsequently result in a comprehensive all-round stability calculator and a complete GZ curve generator that will calculate and visualise the remaining stability in real time and in an easily interpretable manner. In this way, the bridge crew will always have a visual indication of the vessel’s status, and will receive a visual and audible warning if things threaten to go wrong. At the same time, this module is also being developed to integrate the knowledge into antraining simulator, so that trainees and fishermen can see, in visual terms, the effect of their actions on a vessel and how it responds. The aim is to teach them how stability risks arise and how they can be avoided or resolved.

Finally, the project also includes a commercialisation and implementation pathway. This is to ensure that, upon completion of the project, the transition can be made swiftly and that the device is technically and economically ready to be deployed smoothly on board interested vessels.

Presentation by José Manuel Fernández, Technical Prevention Officer at Instituto Nacional de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo, O.A., M.P. (www.insst.es) on their awareness campaign “En el mar cada detalle cuenta” (At Sea, Every Detail Counts), to share their experience and the materials developed to improve safety in the Spanish fishing sector.

Report on the activities carried out by the FISH Platform as an NGO at the International Maritime Organisation.

During this agenda item, participants will be introduced to the first concept version of the FISH Platform documentary. The initial draft will be presented, followed by a discussion to gather feedback, share perspectives, and explore opportunities for further development and refinement of the documentary.

Safety Management Session by Robert Greenwood based on the Fishing Safety Management Code developed by the FISH Platform and published as INF-paper IMO MSC 107-INF.13 - Fishing Safety Management Code.

An INF paper (Information paper) submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is an information document rather than a formal decision-making or legally binding proposal.

Here we discuss the future meetings for the next three years