The Implementation Guidelines are intended for the attention of maritime, labour and fisheries ministries and any other relevant government ministry as and when it is decided to implement the three FAO/ILO/IMO instruments on the design, construction and equipment of fishing vessels of all types and sizes. Those instruments are Part B of the Code of Safety for Fishermen and Fishing Vessels, the Voluntary Guidelines for the Design, Construction and Equipment of Small Fishing Vessels, and the Safety Recommendations for Decked Fishing Vessels of Less than 12 metres in Length and Undecked Fishing Vessels. 

While the intention is not to provide a single prescription to improve safety, the Guidelines do seek to raise awareness and offer guidance on a broad range of issues which must be addressed in an effective and holistic manner. In this regard, the cooperation and coordination between maritime, labour and fisheries administrations is important, particularly where the responsibilities for safety of fishing vessels are divided under relevant Acts. 

The Implementation Guidelines cover areas such as: development of a safety strategy; legal implications; administrative requirements; capacity-building; training of crew members; enforcement of regulations; and operational safety. 

Although the main purpose of the Implementation Guidelines is to assist competent authorities in the implementation of voluntary instruments, it could also be useful when implementing the provisions of the Cape Town Agreement of 2012 on the Implementation of the Provisions of the 1993 Protocol relating to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977.

Implementation Guidelines on Part B of the Code, the Voluntary Guidelines and the Safety Recommendations. Rome. FAO. 78 pp.