Windhoek — NAMIBIA will accede to an international protocol on the safety of fishing vessels.

In a press release on its latest decisions, Cabinet said it had resolved that Namibia will accede to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels of 1993 and the related Protocol.

They are aimed at promoting the safety of life and property at sea and the protection of the marine environment by establishing regulation standards for the construction and equipment of fishing vessels.

"These standards are considered to be the highest practicable safety standards for the construction and equipment of fishing vessels," the latest Cabinet briefing paper stated last Friday.

The 1993 Torremolinos Protocol obliges countries to promulgate laws and regulations to ensure the safety of fishing vessels.

It applies to all seagoing vessels, including those processing their catch onboard and those entitled to fly the flag of a state party.

The Protocol also provides for the certification and port control of fishing vessels and requires states to investigate damage caused to fishing vessels to determine the causes and what remedy might be considered.

Cabinet authorised the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marco Hausiku, to sign the Protocol on behalf of Namibia.