The bullsh*t-free approach

Having the opportunity to join the FISH Platform (Fishing Industry's Safety and Health) meeting in mid-March this year was a reminder of just how exceeding small the wheels of government can grind, and of just what little importance fishing appears to be in the eyes of officials and politicians.

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F) has been kicking around the corridors of power and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for years, and it’s 30 years behind the comparable convention for merchant seafarers.

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