Access to safe and adequate sanitation facilities is an established human right and fundamental health, safety and dignity issue in fisheries. On fishing vessels, access to toilets, sanitation facilities, clean drinking water and hygiene infrastructure may be limited, inadequate or non-existent.
Because a fishing vessel is both workplace and home, deficiencies in sanitation affect health, dignity and safety directly. Women fishers face particular challenges where facilities are not designed to meet their needs or fail to provide privacy and security. Older workers, workers with disabilities and those with medical conditions may face additional barriers where facilities are inaccessible or insufficient
Poor sanitation contributes to illness, infection, dehydration and long-term health conditions including mental health issues. Where facilities are insufficient or unsafe, fishers delay using them, adding discomfort and further health complications. The consequences extend beyond the crew: substandard sanitation facilities aboard undermine food safety and public health throughout seafood supply chains.
This signals wider failure in living conditions: overcrowding, inadequate maintenance and weak enforcement of standards. ILO Convention 188 sets requirements for accommodation, food and water aboard fishing vessels.
Isolated at sea, fishers have little ability to report deficiencies or seek remedy, particularly where grievance mechanisms are ineffective or run by the people responsible for the conditions.
For more on access to sanitation facilities, discrimination, and violence and harassment, see the Risks Across Transport guidance.