Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Medical Examination (Fishermen) Convention, 1959 (No. 113) - Liberia (Ratification: 1960)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation which read as follows:

Article 3 of the Convention. Nature of medical examination and particulars to be included in medical certificate. For many years the Committee has asked the Government to indicate whether certain provisions applicable to merchant vessels, i.e. the Requirements for Merchant Marine Personnel (RLM-118) and Maritime Regulation No. 10.325(2), also apply to fishing vessels. The Committee once again expresses the hope that the Government will provide full explanations regarding the applicability of the Liberian maritime laws and regulations to the medical examination of fishermen. The Government is requested to indicate whether consultations with the fishing-boat owners’ and fishermen’s organizations concerned, if they exist, had taken place prior to the adoption of the applicable laws and regulations on the nature of the medical examination and the particulars to be included in the medical certificate as required by Article 3(1) of the Convention and to provide particulars on how the age of the person to be examined and the nature of the duties to be performed are taken into account in prescribing the nature of the examination as required by Article 3(2).

The Committee also draws the Government’s attention to the new Work in Fishing Convention, adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 96th Session (June 2007), which revises and updates most ILO instruments on fishing, including Convention No. 113. While noting the Subregional Seminar on the promotion of the Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No. 188), which was held in Accra from 27 to 30 October 2009 for the English-speaking countries in West Africa, the Committee requests the Government to give all due attention to this new comprehensive instrument on the working and living conditions of fishers and to keep the Office informed of any decision that it may take with a view to its eventual ratification.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.