France in Fishing Vessel Training Treaty

France has become the 29th State to sign up to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)  treaty on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F).

The Convention sets the certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and above.

The STCW-F Convention is the first to establish basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel on an international level. The Convention prescribes minimum standards relating to training, certification and watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel, which countries are obliged to meet or exceed.

It entered into force in 2012 and is a key pillar among the international instruments addressing fishing vessel safety.

For cargo and passenger ships, the four pillars for safety, environmental protection and seafarers' training and rights are said to be IMO’s SOLAS, MARPOL and STCW treaties; alongside ILO’s Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006).  All these instruments are in force.

Ambassador Nicole Taillefer, Permanent Representative of France to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London, to deposit the instruments of accession (12 June).