A consultation is underway on plans by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to extend the use of the British Seaman’s Card (BSC) to fishermen. The BSC proves the holder is a seafarer, meaning they can have shore leave, and access medical care ashore. It also assists with transit. Under current UK regulations, fishers are not eligible for BSCs.
The MCA says the importance of the card became more apparent during the Covid-19 pandemic, when some countries had restrictions that were not applicable to key workers, but UK fishermen found themselves unable to prove their key worker status.
The BSC is issued in conformity with ILO Convention No. 108 on seaman’s identity documents. The MCA is working towards implementation of ILO Convention No. 185, which provides for an updated and improved seafarer identity document, but that is a longer and more complex project requiring a new digital system and Home Office policy agreement.
Extending BSC eligibility is an interim measure to solve the immediate problem.
Katy Ware, director of UK Maritime Services, said: “We have said all along that seafarers are key workers, and this interim measure to help fishers who need this card and all its benefits is the right thing to do.”
The consultation can be accessed here and responses can be made until 28 November.
We are consulting on the proposal to amend the merchant shipping (seamen’s documents) regulations 1987 so that work on a fishing vessel makes the applicant eligible for issue of a British Seamen’s Card. The purpose of this measure is to secure the right of fishers, as bona fide seafarers, to free transit of third countries to join and leave ships and for the shore leave required for their well-being.
The British Seamen’s Card is widely accepted internationally as a seafarer identity document.
The amended regulations would apply to eligible British fishermen.
Please see the attached documents:
Responses are welcomed from 10 October 2022 until 28 November 2022 and emailed to workinfishing.convention@mcga.gov.uk
