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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 36 Number 5
January 2009
FISH SAFE
Northeast: Casualties still too high
This is the first in a three-part series based on a report released in October by the Coast Guard Office of Investigations and Analysis entitled “Analysis of Fishing Vessel Casualties: A Review of Lost Fishing Vessels and Crew Fatalities, 1992-2007.”
During the 15-year period studied, the analysis tallied 934 fatalities associated with 1,903 vessels lost nationwide.
Coast Guard District 17 (Alaska), District 8 (Gulf Coast), and District 1 (Northeast) suffered the most vessel losses. Together, they accounted for 1,089 or 57% of total vessel losses.
These three districts also had the most fatalities – a total of 539 of the country’s 934 fatalities or 58%. When the percent of fatalities due to vessel losses from flooding, sinking, and capsize – 507 out of 934 or 55% – is added to the percent of fatalities due to so-called “man-overboard” incidents – 217 out of 934 or 23% – the total is 78%.
“With three-quarters of all fatalities, water exposure is by far the most significant factor in personnel loss,” the report stated.
While fishermen in the Gulf Coast can survive for hours without survival suits, the report pointed out that survival for fishermen in the Northeast may be measured in minutes.
Of the 507 fatalities attributed to vessel loss, only 10% of those who died were wearing PFDs or survival suits. In comparison, of the 217 who died after falling into the water, only two were known to be wearing PFDs or survival suits. PFD/survival suit data is incomplete for 85 of these 217 fishermen.
The good news was that the annual number of man-overboard fatalities was trending downward, from 20 in 1999 to 11 in 2007. However, these data show there is considerable room for improvement in the proper usage of PFDs and survival suits.
In fact, the analysis concluded that survival rates more than doubled when PFDs/survival suits were used.
Losses here
Harsh winter weather increases risk here in the Northeast, although the time of year with the greatest number of casualties actually was October through January.
Among the Northeast casualties listed in the analysis were a number of Maine and Massachusetts vessels, including, to name only a few: the Infinity, which was lost in 2000; the Atlanta, lost in 2003; the Northern Edge, lost in 2004; the Celtic Pride, lost in 2006; the Lady Luck, lost in 2007; and the Jacob Alan, lost in 2007.
Of particular note is that, over just the last five years, District 1, which covers Maine to New York, lost 91 vessels with 43 fishermen fatalities. That is more vessels lost and more fatalities than in any other Coast Guard district. The next highest toll over those five years was in Alaska with 86 vessels lost and 40 fishermen fatalities.
Good Samaritans
In the Northeast, we hear of cases every season when a fishing vessel has come to the aid of another in trouble.
Two Good Samaritan cases were described in the analysis: the Ocean Reign’s rescue of five crewmen from the Atlanta in December 2003; and the Diane Marie’s retrieval from a life raft of the sole survivor of the Northern Edge in December 2004.
Acts of vigilance and compassion such as these have significantly reduced fishermen fatalities; 29%, or 546 of the 1,903 incidents received Good Samaritan assistance. The report estimated that “1,084 lives may have been saved” this way.
However, it went on to stress that for a Good Samaritan rescue to be successful, “lifesaving equipment is essential.”
More work needed
While the analysis reported a nationwide “downward shift in the number of vessel-related fatalities” after 2000, District 1 alone showed a distinct upward trend.
All other districts were either down or only slightly up. It appears that the Northeast still needs to do more work to improve fishing vessel safety.
The economy and fishery management restrictions are currently making the situation difficult, but one way to avoid major losses is to invest some time and some money in critical lifesaving equipment and training. It could make all the difference this coming year.
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