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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 36 Number 9
May 2009
CG report: Make vessels safer to save lives
This is the second in a series of articles about a report released in October 2008 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.”
Part 1 of our series covered the findings related to the Northeast and cold water (see CFN January 2009). In part 2, we will discuss the relationship between vessel loss and fatalities.
Coast Guard District 1 (Northeast) reported at total of 145 fatalities over the 15-year period (of which 79 were associated with vessel loss). That was the third highest number of fatalities in the country, exceeded only by District 17 (Alaska) with a total of 216 (of which 125 were associated with vessel loss) and District 8 (Gulf Coast) with a total of 178 (of which 148 were associated with vessel loss).
During 1992-2007, there were 934 commercial fishing fatalities in the US.
“Just over half (507 or 55%) of all fishing vessel deaths are attributed to flooding, sinking, or capsizing of the vessel,” according to the analysis. Specifically, those 507 fatalities were associated with the loss of 165 vessels out of the total 1,903 vessels lost.
Vessel loss factors
The analysis noted the following factors in vessel losses over the 15-year period:
• Longer vessels were lost more often than shorter vessels;
• Of the 1,903 vessels lost, 81% of them were documented;
• Vessels that were 11-30 years old were more often lost than newer or older vessels;
• Wood vessels accounted for 48% of the vessels lost, steel, 25%, and fiberglass/reinforced plastic, 24%;
• The highest number of losses occurred from October through January; and
• In 56% of the incidents, vessel loss was associated with flood, fire, or capsize.
Fatality factors
The analysis noted the following factors in fatalities over the 15-year period:
• A majority of fatalities did not occur during fishing activities;
• Exposure to water, particularly cold water, was a most significant factor in 78% of all fatalities;
• Of all fatalities, 43% occurred on steel-hulled vessels; and
• Of all fatalities, 56% were due to flood, fire, or capsize of a vessel.
More prevention
The Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Act (CFVSA) of 1988 formed the basis for regulations that require EPIRBs, personal flotation devices, flares, life rafts, and more.
Analysis author David Dickey collected data on the number of vessels lost and the number of vessels lost that had voluntary dockside exam decals. It is not surprising that some of the lost vessels had decals and some did not. The decals are an indicator of compliance with commercial fishing vessel safety regulations that address the ability of a crew to respond to and survive an emergency. They do not address vessel integrity.
During dockside exams, vessel examiners check on CFVSA compliance and also routinely check vessel integrity factors, including: hoses; hull integrity; bilge pumps; high water alarms; tightness of the lazarette and integrity of thru-hulls; scuppers; hydraulic and flushing systems; and fire suppression capabilities.
Examiners also discuss stability, loading, and icing with the captain and crew. This is a useful approach as far as it goes, but a much stronger emphasis is needed on prevention if we are going to reduce vessel loss and reduce the fatalities associated with vessel loss.
In the words of Dickey, “Additional measures are needed to prevent vessel loss, including crew training and licensing and requirements for design, watertight integrity, stability, and periodic inspections of fishing vessels.”
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