Tag Archives: Commercial fishing crews

Nova Scotia: Safety Top Priority as Lobster Season Begins

With the lobster season about to start, fishing crews in southwestern Nova Scotia are reminded to make safety a top priority. Dumping Day, as the first day of the season is known, will see thousands of lobster traps dumped along the south and western shores in lobster fishing areas 33 and 34. The start in both areas is weather dependent but is expected to be Monday, November 25. The Province urges fishers to take the time and necessary steps to stay safe. Fishing crews preparing to head out each day should: monitor the weather, assess their boats, check all vessel safety equipment to ensure it is inspected and accessible, prepare for emergencies. Occupational health and safety laws require all crew members to wear a life jacket or other personal flotation device. Links, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:06

Third time was the charm

Light winds, fog and rain spread over Prince William Sound on the eve of a 12-hour Memorial Day fishery, then turned overcast during the holiday, as the commercial fishing crews netted some 1,467 Chinook and 33,752 sockeye salmon. The catch boosted the total harvest to date to an estimated 45,537 fish, including 4,935 kings and 39,823 red salmon, well over five times the individual catches on May 14 and May 18. The first two 12-hour openers were so slow that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game cancelled fishing for the third opener on May 21. Now the fishery appears to be picking up speed. “It’s still not good,” said veteran harvester Jerry McCune,“We’re getting further behind every day. Hopefully things will pick up in June.” >click to read< 17:15

Commercial fishing crews in B.C. now required to wear life-jackets on deck

The organization that oversees worker safety in British Columbia is taking steps to reduce risks faced by commercial fishing crews. WorkSafeBC says all crew members on the deck of a fishing vessel must now wear a life-jacket or personal flotation device. Until the amendment took effect June 3, workers on commercial fishing boats were only required to wear a life-jacket when working under conditions that involved a risk of drowning.,,, The updated regulation stems from Transportation Safety Board recommendations made after the fatal capsizing of the fishing vessel Caledonian near Tofino in September 2015. Three of the four crewmen died and the lone survivor was the only one wearing a life-jacket. >click to read<16:35