The Merchant Shipping (Work in Fishing Convention) Regulations 2018

PART 2 Minimum age

Minimum age for fishermen

6.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a person under 16 years of age must not be employed or engaged to work on board a fishing vessel.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply where—

(a) the person is 15 years of age or older;

(b) the employment or engagement is limited to light work during school holidays;

(c) the purpose of the employment or engagement is to facilitate work experience and shadowing; and

(d) the person is able to demonstrate that they have completed a course of training regarding basic survival at sea which satisfied the requirements specified in Merchant Shipping Notice 1882 (F).

(3) A person under 18 years of age must not be employed or engaged to work on board a fishing vessel where the nature of the activities, or the circumstances in which they are carried out, are likely to jeopardize that person’s health, safety or morals.

(4) A breach of paragraph (1) or (3) is an offence by the fishing vessel owner, the skipper and the employer of the person.

Young persons on night duty

7.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) a person under the age of 18 years must not be employed or engaged to work on a fishing vessel at night.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply where —

(a) the effective training of the person, in accordance with established programmes and schedules, would be impaired by its application; or

(b) the specific nature of the duty or a recognized training programme requires that the fisherman performs duties at night and the training and the nature of the duties conform to the requirements set out in Merchant Shipping Notice 1882 (F) as not being of detrimental impact to the person’s health or well-being.

(3) In this regulation “night” means a period—

(a) the duration of which is at least 9 consecutive hours; and

(b) which starts no later than midnight and ends no earlier than 5 a.m. (local time).

(4) A breach of paragraph (1) is an offence by the fishing vessel owner, the skipper and the employer of the person under the age of 18.