Let's All Come Home Safely

An Open Letter to Fishermen: Let’s All Come Home Safely

Crab boat in the port of Coos Bay. Photo courtesy of Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission.

Crab boat in the port of Coos Bay. Photo courtesy of Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission.

By Mike Conroy and Bob Dooley

 

December 27, 2020

 

In November, Chris Woodley – chair of the Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Advisory Committee – extolled the virtues of personal floatation devices (“PFDs”) to safeguard against fatalities associated with falls overboard.  Citing NIOSH, Chris indicated that, “220 commercial fishermen died after falling overboard from 2000 to 2016.”  He also indicated that 30% of industry fatalities come from falls overboard. If one of those fishermen had been wearing a PFD, and was subsequently rescued, their family would have avoided the unimaginable grief of losing a spouse, parent or child.  This reminder, however, is not only about PFDs.  Chris did a more than adequate job of that in his Op-Ed in National Fisherman entitled, Consequences: Let’s not go overboard. 

 

Today, many vessels which participate in the west coast commercial dungeness crab fishery are securely tied to the dock as the fleet negotiates a price.  Many of these vessels have had their gear on board for an extended period of time since the fishery was slated to open on December 16 (in Oregon and Washington) and December 23rd (in California).  Domoic acid has reared its ugly head along part of the coast, resulting in additional delays in the northern part of Oregon and most of Washington.

 

We write today to recommend a thorough self-inspection of your vessel, your safety equipment and your crew’s readiness as you prepare to embark on upcoming trips. 

 

Vessel inspection:

—> Make sure the following are all in good working order:

  • Pumps (especially for those vessels with live wells)

  • All of your alarm systems

  • Deck or engine room cameras

  • PA/intercom/other communication systems between the deck and wheelhouse

  • Lights – running, deck, crab, safety, etc.

—> Check date of last USCG safety inspection to ensure sticker hasn’t expired.

—> If you can access below deck compartments:

  • Make sure you haven’t accumulated water in any voids.

  • Ensure all shafts and bearings are greased

  • Check hoses for abrasions or cracks – and ensure hose clamps are secure

—> Make sure all of your gear it properly secured.  Even the slightest easing of tension in your stack can have dire consequences.

—> Make sure your fittings, connectors, etc. are not loose.

 

Safety equipment inspection:

—> Make sure ALL of your lifesaving equipment is where it should be and isn’t expired. 

—> Ensure flashlights all work and you have extra batteries.

  

Crew’s readiness:

—> Perform safety drills BEFORE you leave the dock.  Make sure each crew member knows where the following are located and how each is used:  life ring(s), fire extinguishers, escape routes, PFDs, survival suits, life slings or other devices used to pull people out of the water, flares, first aid kit, knives, radios, GPS, etc.

—> Ensure each crew member can quickly put on a survival suit; and if your vessel requires use of a PFD while on deck, as we hope it does, make sure that is clearly communicated and understood.

—> Clearly communicate and walk-through your abandon vessel procedures.

—> Consider adequate head protection to protect yourself from flying buoys, swinging hooks, falling pots from the top of the stack, and the unforeseeable items that could come into contact with your head.  There are a number of options that would seem ideal for the commercial fishing industry – FirstWatch Gear, based on California is one such option.

 

This list is not meant to be exhaustive; you know your vessel(s) and crew(s) far better than we do.  We hope this will serve as a prompt, and also generate conversations, that will prepare you to ensure your safe return and the safe return of your crews.  Above all else, please use good judgment and if a particular action seems more risky than necessary – there is no shame in waiting for safer conditions.  The USCG has a web-based app which will allow you to generate a more thorough checklist “to help you prepare for your dockside exam.”  It is located at http://www.fishsafewest.info/checklist/generator.html.  This can be used as a helpful guide when undertaking the preparations described above.

 

We are depending on you to provide all of us with a sustainable source of protein.  Please do so safely and in a manner that ensures ALL of you are able to return to your families at season’s end.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Mike Conroy is the Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations.  Prior to this Mike spend many years fishing the Pacific Ocean targeting many species using multiple gear types.

 

Bob Dooley, commercial fisherman from Half Moon Bay, CA is a member of the Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Advisory Committee, President of Seafood Harvesters of America, and a member of the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

You can view a PDF of this open letter here.

 

newsLeigh Habegger