On the occasion of World Fisheries Day, 21 November 2018, FAO and the Holy See are partnering once again to hold a joint event at FAO Headquarters in Rome to discuss labour conditions within the fisheries sector.

The event is entitled "Labour rights are human rights: working together to ensure the rights of fishers – fighting trafficking and forced labour in the fishing sector". This important event aims to raise awareness on the need to improve working conditions in the fisheries sector. 

FAO and the Holy See first partnered on a World Fisheries Day event in 2016. This World Fisheries Day will call on member countries, international organizations, and the fishing industry to work together to promote human rights and guarantee decent work in this critical economic and food-producing sector. The event will be held at FAO Headquarters from 11:00-13:30 CET and will be simultaneously webcast at the following link. 

Participants will be welcomed by the FAO Director General José Graziano Da Silva, who will provide the opening remarks, along with the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s Deputy Director-General Moussa Oumarou, and His Excellency Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, Secretariat of State, The Holy See. His Eminence Cardinal Peter A. Turkson, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development will deliver a message from Pope Francis. 

The event will also feature a panel discussion on advancing decent work in the long fisheries chain and will be relevant to all those interested in learning from a variety of perspectives on how to tackle human rights abuses and labour exploitation in the seafood sector.

Why celebrate World Fisheries Day? 

Since 1998, World Fisheries Day is celebrated on the 21st of November every year and is dedicated to the men and women who depend on fisheries for their livelihoods. Fishing at sea is recognized as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world as long days of grueling work in at times unsafe conditions can lead to a range of human rights violations.

World Fisheries Day 2018 is an appropriate opportunity for FAO and the Holy See to strengthen the fight against trafficking and protect the human rights of individuals in the fisheries sector. 

Join us at the event 

World Fisheries Day 2018, held 21 November 11:00-12:30 CET, will be available via webcasting.  

You can also follow the event via Twitter @FAOFish or through the hashtag #WorldFisheriesDay.