The International Fund for Fishing Safety is now open for applications following the recent announcement at IFISH 6 Conference in Rome.

The Fund will support organisations that aim to reduce accidents and fatalities for fishers in The Global South.

The funding programme is a partnership between The Seafarers’ Charity, Lloyd’s Register Foundation and FISH Platform,

The announcement was made at the International Fishing Industry Safety and Health (IFISH 6) Conference 2024, held at the UN FAO Headquarters in Rome.

The Fund will target areas where there is the most need for improved safety outcomes, particularly Asia, which is home to 80% of fishers and some of the most hazardous and unregulated working environments.

Tina Barnes, Impact Director at The Seafarers’ Charity and one of the speakers at the Conference, spoke about the reason for the charity’s support for this new Fund:

“Research by The Seafarers’ Charity revealed that financial difficulties are endemic for many of those working in fishing and that is why we are funding a financial resilience programme with Commsave Credit Union, specifically tailored for people working in fishing in the UK.

“We recognise that economic necessity can drive risk taking and unsafe practices and this is why we were pleased to be asked by Lloyds Register Foundation to manage this new international Fund… We are keen to fund projects that will raise safety standards and practices in fishing around the world.”

How to apply

Applications to the Fund will be managed by The Seafarers’ Charity, and decisions made by a steering committee of industry experts from across the fishing ecosystem.

Daryl Attwood is Senior Programme Manager at Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a global charity that supports research, innovation, and education to make the world a safer place. Its mission is to use the best evidence and insight to help the global community focus on tackling the world’s most pressing safety and risk challenges. For more information, please visit www.lrfoundation.org.uk

He said: “The International Fund for Fishing Safety (IFFS) provides an effective means for Lloyd’s Register Foundation to make a scalable impact on fishing safety, and can be an important vehicle to raise awareness of the global plight of fishers.”