RSP: Refreshment Training on Social Responsibility and Crew Welfare for RD Fleets - F/V Dolores 869

RD Fishing Group

This training underscores the importance of maintaining high standards for crew welfare and ethical practices within the seafood industry, ensuring that all stakeholders are protected and treated with respect.

The training was led by the RD fleet manager and personnel; it was attended by 29 participants, including crew members, captains, and skippers from the fishing vessel F/V Dolores 869 and took place on July 25, 2025.

The training focused on the commitment to social responsibility and crew welfare regarding the FISH Standard, designed to assure seafood buyers that harvested fish comes from ethically managed sources. The key points covered include:

• Ethical Recruitment and Crews are recruited and hired ethically, with a strong emphasis on respectful treatment aboard vessels.

• Fair Compensation to ensure that the Crew receive proper payment for their work, reflecting fair labour practices.

• Also that Grievance Mechanisms are established processes in place to address any grievances that crew members may have, ensuring their concerns are heard and managed effectively, and

• ILOC 188 requirements are embedded in the F.I.S.H. Standard

For the F.I.S.H standard certification, FIA PNG acts as the certificate holder responsible for compliance. Part of the FIA PNG head office responsibilities is to carry out Second-party audits, which are conducted on listed vessels to monitor continuously our fleet’s ILOC 188 implementation and maintain F.I.S.H standards.

First-party audits are compulsory and part of the FIA PNG management system; it is the first line for checking compliance, and these are performed on RD Fleets’ vessels by internal auditors and personnel, with results submitted to the FIA PNG office.

Ongoing Compliance

The FISH Standard includes four principles, 28 criteria, and approximately 160 indicators that serve as benchmarks for ethical and responsible fishing practices.

RD fleet, all crew members undergo awareness training related to the requirements of the F.I.S.H Standard.

The next scheduled training will be carried out on the F/V Dolores 873 after her fishing trip completion in 2025 will occur after arriving at Vidar Port, Papua New Guinea.

For the RD tuna group, maintaining communication and inclusion of vessel lists with the FIA PNG head office to ensure compliance with all regulations is key in this process.