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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 33 Number 9
May 2006
FISH SAFE
ME patrol vessels plan June harbor visits
The Maine Commercial Fishing Safety Council has developed a collaborative project with the Maine Bureau of Marine Patrol and the Coast Guard that calls for each of the state’s six marine patrol vessels to make one harbor visit in early June.
All fishermen, especially those operating state -registered vessels, are encouraged to visit the docks and tour the patrol vessels during these visits.
A Marine Patrol Officer (MPO), a Coast Guard safety officer, and a member of the advisory council will be on hand to discuss safety issues and the elements of a Coast Guard voluntary dockside exam, provide practice using flares, and, as personnel permit, conduct a demonstration dockside exam of a fishing vessel.
The Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act of 1988 (CFIVSA) set requirements for documented and state-registered vessels. It stipulates additional requirements for documented vessels operating beyond the boundary line.
The purpose of these harbor visits is to promote safety awareness and show fishermen – whether operating documented or state-registered vessels – that having a voluntary dockside exam and following the safety regulations will greatly reduce their risk of accident, injury, or death while fishing.
Guardian III exam
The Marine Patrol has adopted the CFIVSA requirements for all of its vessels. Every two years, the Marine Patrol updates the vessel “decals” by having each undergo a Coast Guard dockside exam. Through this and other measures, the patrol vessels serve as teaching laboratories and models for safe practice in the fishing industry.
In preparation for the Guardian III’s visit to Vinalhaven on June 5, Maj. John Fetterman scheduled her for a March 16 “check-up” in Rockland. Kevin Plowman of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in Portland conducted the exam with Marine Patrol Sgts. Marlowe Sonksen and Rene Cloutier standing by.
Here’s a look at the results of the Guardian III exam and corrective actions.
Expired items
Several of the six required handheld flares had expired and trips over 50 miles from shore require SOLAS parachute flares, so a new flare kit with proper handheld and SOLAS parachutes flares was purchased.
The aspirin and topical antibiotic in the first aid kit were expired, so those items were placed on a shopping list. There is no specific Coast Guard-approved first aid kit. The regulations only state that vessels “must carry a first aid manual and a medicine chest of suitable size for the number of people on board (46 CFR 28.210).”
The expiration date for some of the immersion suit light batteries was August 2006. A check of the excellent and useful on-board computerized spread sheet developed by Marine Patrol personnel to track expiration and equipment service dates showed that the crew would be notified by the software program in time to replace the batteries.
Wear and tear
Items subject to wear and tear include survival suits, ropes, and hoses. Even if not used, survival suits can show wear from being folded, stored correctly or incorrectly, kept in the salt-air environment, and just from aging.
On the Guardian III, the suit zippers were well-lubricated and worked easily, and the suit seams were found to be of one piece. Very importantly, the suits are being stored as recommended in the pilothouse – not in the galley or engine room.
However, at the request of Kevin Plowman, Sgt. Cloutier assured compliance with life saving equipment marking requirements by writing the vessel name on each immersion suit (46 CFR 28.135).
A frayed rope required replacement of the ring life buoy. Plowman reminded the crew to write the vessel name on the new buoy.
The Y-valve for the head holding tank was operable. However, because the boat was docked, it should have been positioned to discharge into the holding tank.
The various hoses – whether for water, waste, cooling, or fuel systems – were found to be in good condition – not chafed or worn. Checking hoses is done during the dockside exam and should be done frequently by the vessel captain because timely replacement of worn hoses helps prevent serious flooding or engine fires that can result from burst fuel lines.
One hose associated with the sea valve was missing the mandatory double stainless steel clamp, so that was listed for replacement.
Service, testing
The three portable fire extinquishers, EPIRB, and life raft had all been serviced according to manufacturers’ recommendations. The high-water alarms, general alarm, and radios worked properly.
However, the fixed halon extinguisher in the engine room raised questions and a note was made to have a certified professional weigh the halon canister to determine the amount of extinguishing agent present.
In addition, Plowman found that the fixed halon fire extinguisher in the engine room had been mounted horizontally rather than vertically as the manufacturer stipulates. The Guardian III was sent to the shop in mid-April to have it re-mounted.
Also found to be needed were a compass deviation table for use with the electromagnetic compass and an emergency instructions placard.
Talking it over
The discussions that take place between the safety examiner and the vessel operator during dockside exams are extremely valuable.
The MPOs learned that the pressure gauge on a halon fire extinguisher only indicates the amount of propellant; the canister must actually be weighed in order to know how much extinguishing agent is present.
This discussion led to an additional insight that some personnel who check, service, and/or install fire extinguishers and other equipment are not doing this work correctly.
It is clear that the time to realize that the halon extinguisher might not perform up to specification during an engine fire is during a dockside exam – not during an emergency situation.
Ann Backus
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