Tag Archives: Transport Canada
Coast Guard ship fined for going too fast in Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Transport Canada has fined the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir William Alexander $6,000 for going too fast in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The ship allegedly violated the federal government’s 10-knot speed limit that was put in place in August to prevent further deaths of the endangered North Atlantic right whales. As of Sept. 16, there’s been 11 right whales confirmed dead in the Gulf. “We take the speed restriction very seriously,” Delphine Denis, a spokesperson for the federal Minister of Transport, said in an email. click here to read the story 16:41
Carcass of a North Atlantic right whale spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence – click here to read the story
Nova Scotia Fishermen’s Association Relies on Mustang Survival as Part of Major Safety Investment
Mustang Survival®, the North American brand known for innovative solutions for the most demanding marine environments, is pleased to announce that the Gulf Nova Scotia Fleet Planning Board (GNSFPB) has made another round of major investments in safety equipment which includes 1,200 Mustang Survival immersion suits. As part of a $1.3 million spend, the GNSFPB is aligning with new safety requirements for commercial fishing vessels introduced by Transport Canada, which will go into effect this summer.,, Leonard LeBlanc, GNSFB’s Managing Director, in partnership with Shippagan Enterprises, spearheaded the purchase of safety equipment for use by 600 inshore fishermen in an area that extends from the New Bruswick boarder to the tip of Cape Breton in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. click here to read the story 08:43
Atlantic fishermen groups want more time to adapt to new vessel safety rules
Fishery organizations in Atlantic Canada say they are frustrated with the rollout of new federal fishing-vessel safety regulations scheduled to take effect in July, but Ottawa says they’re being given sufficient time to comply.Representatives from a number of regional and national groups walked out of a meeting with Transport Canada Officials on Thursday in Halifax when they didn’t get the answers they were hoping for. Sharon Walsh, executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Fish Harvesting Safety Association, says the groups are looking for a phase-in period to help fishermen and companies be compliant — but federal officials have not been receptive to the idea. continue reading the story here 13:51
Transport Canada: One year ‘sufficient time’ for fishermen to grasp new Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations
Transport Canada says it is giving fishermen “sufficient time” to prepare for new safety regulations coming into force this summer. The Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations were announced on July 13, 2016, and come into effect July 13, 2017. “This one-year period was to allow owners of fishing vessels sufficient time to familiarize themselves and get up-to-date with the new requirements,” Transport Canada said in an email to CBC P.E.I. The response came after representatives from 15 fishing organizations representing more than 20,000 fish harvesters walked out of a meeting in Halifax on Thursday with Transport Canada. Transport Canada said the objectives of the new regulations are to reduce fatalities, injuries and loss or damage to vessels in the commercial fishing industry. continue reading the story here 08:24
Transport Canada report raises alarm over aging Coast Guard fleet
The comprehensive analysis of the nation’s transportation network was part of a statutory review submitted to the Trudeau government last December, but not tabled until the end of the February. Among other things, it noted that unplanned maintenance on aging coast guard vessels skyrocketed in 2014. “Not only is it understaffed, but its fleet is one of the oldest in the world and urgently requires renewal (individual ships average nearly 34 years of age),” said the review of the Canadian Transportation Act, which was led by former Conservative cabinet minister David Emerson. “Without such renewal, it will have to pull ships from service, further reducing reliability.” Read the article, Click here 18:35
P.E.I. fishermen have concerns about some proposed safety requirements
The P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association has concerns about some of Transport Canada’s proposed changes to safety requirements for commercial fishing vessels. Transport Canada says these changes are designed to help prevent accidents and loss of life. It notes 58 per cent of the fatalities are caused by stability-related accidents and 27 per cent are caused by falling overboard. The proposed changes include new safety equipment requirements, introducing safe operating procedures for crews, and requiring stability assessments for some existing and all new fishing vessels. Read the rest here 08:56
New fishery safety standards to affect about 20,000 Canadian boats
A cool head, safety training and a decision to keep survival suits handy kept Martin d’Entremont and his crew alive when things went terribly wrong on board the Poseidon Princess, 102 kilometres off southwest Nova Scotia in the early morning hours of Jan.31, 2015. “I never dreamed she would go so fast,” says d’Entremont, 57, a veteran skipper from West Pubnico, N.S. The exact cause of the sinking remains unknown. What is clear is that safety procedures on board the Poseidon Princess saved lives as the boat slid under the waves, its lights winking out and engines shutting off in the darkness. Read the story here 08:19
‘Why did this happen?’: Tragic deaths of three crew on trawler highlight safety concerns in B.C. fishing industry
It’s hard work, to sift through the wreckage of a sunken fishing boat, investigate what happened and what failed, analyze structural integrity, meteorological conditions, shipyard maintenance records, and, in some cases, a coroner’s autopsy. But, said Glenn Budden, senior marine investigator with the Transportation Safety Board, the devastation back home is harder to deal with than the wreckage at sea. Talking to grieving spouses and children of fishermen who never returned from a voyage, Budden said, is “definitely the hardest part of the job.” “They want to know why? Why did this happen?” said Budden. Read the rest here 22:07
The Fishery – a dangerous place to work
Potty politics: Toilet rules for boats to be enforced
All vessels equipped with an on-board toilet will soon be forced to install sewage tanks or marine sanitation devices, according to Transport Canada. The requirement has been law for seven years, but Ottawa granted a reprieve for fishing and pleasure boat owners because of the cost of installation. Read more here 11:25
Ship safety systems still voluntary, despite TSB pleas
A federal initiative to improve safety on fishing vessels remains voluntary, despite being repeatedly flagged by the Transportation Safety Board, which believes it should be made mandatory. Read more here 08:10
Baker | Will rule change spark boat-building boom? Bigger Boats – Rapidly changing fishery
This week on The Fisheries Broadcast we revealed a little tidbit of news that could have some big implications for both the fishery and the boat building industries here in this province. We managed to confirm that Transport Canada is moving to replace the existing small fishing vessel regulations, possibly as early as next year. more@cbcnews 08:19
