Crew Welfare Spaces Excluded from Authorized Tonnage... Aiming to Encourage Additional Welfare Facility Installations

Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Issues Administrative Notice for 'Standard Fishing Vessel Type' Announcement

[Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has established the "Standards for Standard Fishing Vessel Types with Enhanced Safety and Welfare (Notice)" and will conduct a 20-day administrative notice period from the 28th to September 17th to strengthen fishing vessel safety and improve welfare conditions for fishery workers.

Fishing vessel operations have long been considered a hazardous industry with constant risks of accidents. Casualties and missing persons due to fishing vessel accidents have been gradually increasing. Additionally, due to the structural characteristics of fishing vessels, welfare spaces are cramped and poor, causing difficulties in the lives of crew members. As a result, young people have been avoiding fishing vessel work, leading to severe aging of the workforce, and it has become difficult to secure manpower except for foreign crew members.

Accordingly, the government had prepared and implemented guidelines such as the "Inspection Guidelines for Expanding Safety Spaces on Fishing Vessels," but contrary to the intent of securing safe welfare spaces, these were abused as means for illegal expansion and remodeling to increase catch volume and were eventually abolished.

Therefore, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries analyzed past cases to prevent such abuses and is introducing a new standard fishing vessel type to strengthen the safety and welfare of fishing vessels and establish a foundation for sustainable fishing vessel operations.

Looking at the main contents of the standard fishing vessel construction standards, basic welfare spaces for crew members such as crew quarters, toilets, and kitchens are excluded from the permitted tonnage to encourage the additional installation of such welfare facilities. However, as additional space is allowed, stability tests, which had been mandatory only for vessels 24m or longer, will now be mandatory for vessels under 24m as well. Also, vessels under 24m without a loaded waterline will be required to mark a baseline to allow early assessment of risk according to loading capacity, thereby enhancing safety.

Furthermore, to prevent welfare spaces secured through the introduction of the standard fishing vessel type from being used as a means to increase catch volume, welfare spaces are allowed to be installed only on the upper deck and must not be used for other purposes. If a vessel recognized as a standard fishing vessel is caught violating illegal expansion or remodeling two or more times, the additionally installed welfare spaces will be removed, and strict management will be enforced.

The standard fishing vessel type is expected to be implemented within this year after going through administrative procedures for institutionalization. Subsequently, after obtaining construction or remodeling permits from the registration authority and prior drawing approval from the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority, fishing vessels can be constructed according to the standard fishing vessel type. Existing vessels that meet the related standards will also be recognized as standard fishing vessels and be able to secure welfare spaces.

Choi Yong-seok, Director of Fisheries Resources Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "Since the standard fishing vessel type is being introduced to ensure fishing vessel safety and crew welfare, I ask everyone to work together to ensure that it is not used as a means for illegal expansion or remodeling and is well established."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.