On World Fisheries Day, Vatican calls for greater commitment to fisherfolk

A Vatican official has called for a renewed effort from international organizations and governments to strengthen their commitment to improve working conditions of fisherfolk during this time of pandemic.

The Prefect of the Dicastery of Promoting Integral Human Development Cardinal Peter Turkson's call comes in his message to mark World Fisheries Day November 21.

Social distancing, the closure of fishing markets, reduced patronage of hotels and restaurants, “has created challenges for the sale of fresh fish and related products” during this COVID-19 pandemic. This has only worsened the other “chronic problems which bedevil the industry”, Cardinal Turkson said.

These challenges are the problems of “Overfishing and Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing which continue around the world under different flags and by groups who dispose of powerful fleets and are better resourced.”

“This state of affairs victimizes authentic fishers and fishing communities with unfair competition and depletes fish-stocks at a rate that does not allow the fishes to recover. It is a practice that is not sustainable and that leads to decreased fish populations and to reduced future production,” Cardinal Turkson said. 

Another area is the working conditions for fisherfolk, especially at a time of a global pandemic.        

“Additionally, the lack of Personal Protective Equipment has increased the risk of transmitting the virus because fishers work in restricted and enclosed spaces,” he said.

“Crew members have been infected in a number of fishing vessels, and unable to receive immediate medical assistance, they perished and were quickly buried at sea by their worried companions. Often the families know nothing about the fate of their loved one,” the cardinal said.

In his message, Cardinal Turkson also referred to issues of human trafficking and forced labour.

“The vast majority of fishers around the world have been, for different reasons, excluded from the basic ‘social protection’ provided by some national governments and have been forced to rely upon the generosity of charitable organizations or the assistance of the local community for survival,” he said.

Cardinal Turkson describes the path to full protection of human and labour rights of all categories of fisherfolk as “a long and winding road.” 

Nonetheless, “we raise our voice to call for a renewed effort from international organizations and governments, to strengthen their commitment to implement legislation to improve the living and working conditions of fishers and their families and to toughen their fight against forced labour and human trafficking.”

“The time for talking is over. It is time to act!” Cardinal Turkson said. 

The Holy See and FAO has joined hands to celebrate the World Fisheries Day.

Celebrations this year mark the 75th Anniversary of FAO and the 100th anniversary of Stella Maris, and include the event “Voices from the Sea”, paying tribute to all those fishers and fish workers whose lives and working conditions have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

World Fisheries day is celebrated every year on November 21 throughout the world by the fisherfolk communities. 

A recent United Nations study reported that more than two-thirds of the world's fisheries have been overfished or are fully harvested and more than one third are in a state of decline because of factors such as the loss of essential fish habitats, pollution, and global warming.

The World Fisheries Day helps in highlighting the critical importance to human lives, of water and the lives it sustains, both in and out of water.

More than 25% of the world’s dietary protein is provided by fish and small-scale fisheries (marine and inland) employ about 90 percent of those involved in fisheries.