Consultation outcome

Consultation on the eligibility of fishermen for a British Seamen's Card

This consultation has concluded

Download the full outcome

Detail of outcome

Please see attached consultation outcome report.

Detail of feedback received

The MCA directly notified about fifty organisations of the consultation exercise, including fishing organisations, other commercial maritime organisations, seafarer unions, other government departments and agencies, charities and welfare organisations. Nine written responses were submitted to the public consultation from outside the MCA.

Further details are contained within the final outcome report attached.


Original consultation

Summary

Inviting views on the proposal to amend the merchant shipping (seamen’s documents) regulations 1987 so that fishermen will be eligible for a British Seaman’s Card.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

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

  • consultation document
  • consultation de minimis assessment (DMA)
  • word document of consultation response form

Responses are welcomed from 10 October 2022 until 28 November 2022 and emailed to workinfishing.convention@mcga.gov.uk

Documents

Consultation de minimis assessment (DMA)

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email infoline@mcga.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Consultation response form

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email infoline@mcga.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.
Published 4 October 2022
Last updated 6 March 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated with the consultation outcome report.

  2. First published.