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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 34 Number 12
August 2007
Invest a little time in vessel orientation
Who’s got time to orient a newcomer, especially one who has years of fishing experience? There’s too much to do before a trip. And why bother telling your best friend or close relative how to operate the radio? He’ll never use it. He’s just along for the ride.
Hold those thoughts. The new crewman may not know how to turn on your vessel’s EPIRB, even though he’s not a novice. Your best friend or close relative might just need to use the radio if you get seriously injured.
Orienting people to your vessel entails three steps.
First, think about what you want newcomers to know about your vessel’s basic operation. Where are the safety hazards? Do they know how to operate the safety and survival gear? Would they know what to do in the event of an emergency?
Second, show them around the vessel. This will take time but will pay dividends in several ways. Crewmembers who are oriented to safety hazards are less likely to injure themselves and are able to help during an emergency. Plus, they greatly reduce your liability in the event of an emergency. Some owners have even used home video cameras to produce videotapes that cover the critical points of an orientation on their vessel, which crewmembers then view.
Finally, have them sign your vessel’s safety orientation log. Consider making a copy of this orientation log and keeping it in a safe place at home or in your office in the event your vessel sinks. This record is very important for your legal protection.
Sign and date
The captain and crewmember should then sign and date the vessel orientation checklist, see sample below, as required by 46 CFR 28.265 under the federal Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Act.
It is essential that each fisherman familiarize himself as much as possible with the survival gear carried aboard his vessel and the emergency assignments for the vessel. The survival of each crewman depends upon his and his crewmates’ foreknowledge and preparedness, physical condition, and the ability to remain calm and act quickly and effectively.
Fred Mattera
NESTCo
A qualified Coast Guard-approved marine drill instructor, Fred Mattera is the owner/president of North East Safety Training Co. (NESTCo), which conducts fishing vessel drills and inspections and basic safety training workshops.
Mattera has been a commercial fisherman since 1972 and the owner of the Point Judith, RI-based 84' freezer trawler Travis & Natalie since 1984.
He also has been the president of the Point Club, a fishing vessel mutual insurance group, since 1998 and has served on the board of directors for Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance Co., the principal underwriter for the Point Club and more than 2,000 US fishing vessels, since 1998.
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