In small coastal communities, many livelihoods, businesses and local services depend on fishermen coming home safely. People who live and work in these communities understand that encouraging safety at sea is a shared responsibility, shaped by the different roles they play on land.
When something goes wrong at sea, the consequences are far-reaching. We spoke to Neil McAleese, Head of Industry Workforce at Seafish, to discuss the crucial role risk management and community support play in encouraging safety at sea.
Neil also shares positive stories from his experiences working in safety training, and explains how safety doesn’t rest solely with fishermen; it also depends on action and encouragement from others in the industry.
Read his views and safety advice below.
Commercial fishing accident reports often point to inadequate risk assessments as a primary factor in accidents.
A planned, written risk assessment is not only a legal requirement but one of the most effective tools fishermen have to protect themselves, their crews and their livelihoods. Reducing risk at sea helps ensure that vessels return safely — and that the businesses and communities depending on them can continue to function.
On single-handed potting vessels, the risk of entanglement should be considered a crucial part of the risk assessment process. Critical steps here to avoid entanglement could include not intervening when things snag, stopping the gear to deal with snags rather than attempting to sort it out while the pots are still moving, and employing stop and alert systems onboard vessels.
How long could you stay afloat at sea? The Man Overboard (MOB) training course run by Seafish and the RNLI is designed to test exactly this, helping you to understand, in a realistic but safe environment, what going overboard could be like.
From practical advice on how to wear a PFD and use life saving equipment, to what steps to take to avoid MOB in the first place, the course is designed to give you the best chance of coming home and dry. Hear from crew mates, single-handed fishermen and training providers below to find out more about the day.
Swipe across on the videos below to watch our “Hear from the crew” and “Meet the training team” videos.
Overwhelmed by all the safety advice available to read? Unsure what equipment you need, which drills to run, or how to complete a risk assessment? We have compiled the key information you need to help avoid MOB into a single toolkit.
Click the link to download the file. Save it to your phone or bookmark this page for quick access at any time.
Fishermen’s Safety Trainer from Man Overboard awareness event.