On Dec. 20, 2012, President Obama signed the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2012 (CGMTA). This law made some significant changes to the US Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (CGAA), which established safety and equipment requirements for commercial fishing vessels. The requirements in both laws build upon the standards established in the …
Category: Safety
SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: Simple steps to avoid bad but common mistakes
Originally printed – October 2011 He was fairly new to trawling and he made a bad mistake. Maybe it was a lack of sleep or physical fatigue that caused a lapse in concentration. Whatever the reason, the break in attention was long enough for him to forget to remove his hand from the stern rail …
FISH-SAFE: Be sure your EPIRB is registered biennially
When you purchase an EPIRB, you can’t miss the instructions about how to register it with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Satellite and Information Service, but we sometimes forget that we have to re-register each EPIRB every two years. When mine came due, I received a notice from NOAA, and that was handy …
SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: Abandoning ship-Surviving aboard the raft
Wrapping up this three-part series on abandoning ship, let’s focus on surviving aboard the life raft. Immediately after abandoning ship and gaining shelter in the life raft, survivors are likely to be cold, wet, exhausted and suffering from varying degrees of shock. Mental and/or physical let down leading to collapse is possible at this stage. …
FISH SAFE – ME apprenticeship program putting safety-trained lobstermen on the water
The Maine Lobster Apprenticeship Program is the first of its kind in the US that requires not only hours of apprenticeship but also the successful completion of a US Coast Guard Fishing Vessel Safety Drill Conductor Course, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR), which administers the program. This was not always so. …
SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: Abandoning ship – Boarding the life raft
The crew made a mad dash for the life raft but wasn’t successful. The flames and heat were far too intense. The fire had started in the engine room and engulfed the living quarters and pilothouse. Everyone had to abandon ship wearing their immersion suits and holding their EPIRB. Fortunately, a nearby fishing vessel retrieved …
FISH-SAFE: Overboard! How will you get back in your boat?
Finally, it is spring. The air is noticeably warmer and soon the water will be warmer too, but not warm enough that you would want to spend a lot of time in it waiting for rescue should you go overboard. The injury epidemiologists might bring out Haddon’s matrix at this point. This tool can be …
SAFE-BOAT SMART BOAT: Abandoning ship – A step-by-step approach
Even for the most self-sufficient fishing vessel, the possibility of a disabling mishap at sea due to a storm, grounding, collision, mechanical failure, or some other cause is a fact of nautical life. Your safety and that of your crew depends on your ability to plan for and manage the problems you come against in …
FISH SAFE – Winch safety study identifies emergency shutoffs
In the January 2014 CFN, we discussed the hazards associated with winch level-winding operations on trawlers based on our ongoing Northeast Drum Winch Safety Improvement Study. This time, we’ll look at what we have learned about drum winch emergency shutoffs. To recap, we collected data for the study on 54 vessels from Gloucester, New Bedford, …
SAFE-BOAT SMART-BOAT: PFDs, grappling with fishing’s ‘safety culture’
by Fred Mattera – During safety training sessions in December and January each year, I break out the “Cold Water Boot Camp USA” DVD. It’s a great tool for reviewing coldwater safety with fishermen now that the water temperature is a frigid 45°F or less. In the video, selected volunteers agree to immerse themselves in …
BOATS of the YEAR 2023
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