Bringing safety and insurance to small-scale fishers who feed the world

Small-scale fishers produce more than 40 percent of the global capture fisheries production. They use around 2.6 million small fishing vessels of less than 12 metres in length to produce many millions of tonnes of seafood each year. Nearly half of the fish we consume is caught by fishers using small fishing vessels.

Small-scale fishers face many risks in their daily work, caused by hazards at sea, such as storms, high waves and unpredictable sea conditions. Accidents and fatalities are common. It is important that fishers are trained in fishing safety, wear safety gear, are using safe vessels and are insured against accidents, damage and loss.

Globally, just 5 percent of the small fishing vessels are insured. Many insurers lack knowledge about small fishing vessels and the operations of small-scale fishers. There is demand among small-scale fishers for insurance services. Those insurers that are providing insurance cover to small-scale fishers are often making profits.  

To aid fisheries and maritime authorities in conducting seaworthiness and safety inspections of small fishing vessels and to facilitate the supply of insurance services for small fishing vessel worldwide, FAO, supported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation (LRF) and partners, developed two technical guidelines:

Guidelines for the Seaworthiness and Safety Inspection of Small Fishing Vessels

Guidelines for Insurance Value and Risk Assessment of Small Fishing Vessels

Together, these guidelines offer practical tools to assess, document and improve fishing vessel conditions and standardize their valuation—critical components enabling insurability. They help manage risks involved in insuring small fishing vessels and bridge the information gap that has often excluded small-scale fishers from services by marine insurers.

For more information, please contact [email protected]