Brussels, 08/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission gave assurances at a conference on the “Social Pillar of European Maritime Policy” on Monday 7 November that it planned to make available funding to improve on-board living and safety conditions for people working in the fisheries sector. The attractiveness of seafaring jobs, improving living and working conditions in the fisheries sector and safety at sea were issues debated at the conference, held on the initiative of the Brittany Region, the Institut français maritime de prévention (the French safety at sea organisation) and the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) in the Committee of the Regions.
“The social dimension is fundamental to the maritime economy. Blue growth is part of the EUROPE 2020 strategy. The maritime economy accounts for 65% of EU GDP and contributes to 2.25% of total employment in Europe. Given the size of its fleet, the EU is a leading maritime power. European ship owners control almost 40% of the world's fleet and Europeans dominate the emerging markets in offshore renewable energy”, said CPMR Secretary General Eleni Marianou. “We need a comprehensive, integrated approach. A maritime social agenda is required for all sectors”, Marianou argued, and this agenda must be reflected in the EU integrated maritime policy.
Carla Montesi, Director in DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (Mare) at the European Commission, said she was convinced that “the sea can contribute to economic growth in Europe today”. The maritime economy represents a production value of €450 billion in Europe. According to data from DG Mare, wind energy will increase by 30% by 2020, cruise tourism will increase by 5% annually and short sea shipping 6%. “The marine economy contributes significantly to future growth and higher employment in the future, so we must be responsive and act now to make these jobs a reality”, Montesi said. The Commission undertook to identify the maritime sectors which need more attention and increased funding. From the start of 2013, “we hope to be able to identify the most promising sectors in terms of jobs”, the Commission said.
“The lack of attractiveness of maritime jobs is a real problem and improving social conditions is a key factor which we must address in order to ensure that young people choose to work in the maritime sector”, Montesi said. In its proposals on the reform of the common fisheries policy (CFP) and in the proposal expected at the end of November on the new fisheries and maritime affairs fund, the Commission is planning “support for improving working and safety conditions” on board fishing vessels, Montesi assured.
Isabelle Thomas, Vice-President of the Brittany Region, said that social issues had not been taken into account in the proposals on the reform of the CFP. The integrated maritime policy must not neglect social matters, she added. “To be able to speak about blue growth and developing new maritime economic activities, these jobs have to be attractive. In fact, they have the reputation of being dangerous, difficult and frustrating. The quality of the job and the level of training have to be taken into consideration”, she said. She spoke, too, of transport security. She concluded by saying that maritime safety issues must not be a balancing variable. The integrated maritime policy should take account of safety issues.
Christophe Marques from the Brittany Region's Maritime Department presented a survey of the perception of the sea among school students in Brittany: “It is surprising that 58% of people in a coastal region like Brittany are not attracted by maritime professions and have a rather negative image of fisheries and aquaculture”.
Georges Tourret, head of the French Institut maritime de prévention, said that work had to be done as quickly as possible on the proposal made by France in 2009, that is, “preventing vessels from leaving EU ports where the staff on duty have not had a sufficiently long rest period to recover the level of wakefulness diminished by fatigue, as this tiredness impacts directly on navigation safety”. Chronic fatigue among sailors is a real problem for maritime safety and is the cause of many accidents. According to Tourret, the work schedules of crews have to be very closely monitored, reconstituting the timetable of the sailors concerned. When minimum rest periods have not been observed, “it must be made possible to prevent vessels from leaving port until crew members have had sufficient rest time”, he stated. (LC/transl.rt)