It is the reality that the fishing industry is averaging one death per month and most of them are from small fishing vessels. Marcel Ayeko, TSB’s Director of Marine Investigations, told that sixty people have died in accidents over the past five years, and it is good to find the reason.
It is told that the TSB conducts dozens of full investigations into marine accidents every year. These result in public reports that contain a host of conclusions, concerns, and safety recommendations. It is informed that this study is expected to be the first to provide an overall view of the situation across the country. According to Ayeko these issues need to be formally identified – to the regulators, the industry, and the fishermen themselves – so that the safety system can improve.
TSB told that it has made 42 recommendations aimed at improving fishing vessel safety, and it has repeatedly drawn attention to critical safety issues that contribute to accidents. These include vessel stability, structural integrity, unsafe operating procedures, the use of lifesaving equipment, and the impact of fishery resource management plans and practices on the overall safety of fishing vessels.
