June 25, 2015
As summer begins, so does the professional and commercial fishing season. The fishing industry in Alaska provides about 80,000 jobs to our economy. Offering many job opportunities, the fishing industry is vital to the Alaskan job market.
Fishing is a popular activity for Alaskans in general, therefor; it must be regulated for sustainability and safety reasons. However, professional and commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations to have.
According to the CDC (Center of Disease Control), 41-61 deaths occur annually and most deaths are caused by vessel disasters; fall overboard, on board injury, on shore injury or a driving injury.
Drowning is a major concern for any water activity. Of the deaths calculated by the CDC for falling overboard, none of them were wearing personal flotation devices.
There are safety rules for a reason and it is imperative to follow them.
When on ANY boat, commercial or not, it is necessary to have one USCG-approved Type I, II, III or V personal flotation device for each person aboard. Those under 13 years of age must wear their PFD at all times when on an open boat.
In case the boat gets stranded, there must be a sound-producing device and visual distress signals on board. It is helpful to keep a signaling device on your person as well.
Other safety requirements include: fire extinguishers, navigation lights, backfire flame arrestors, proper ventilation, and current registration.
For more safety preparation, file a float plan at http://pledgetolive.org.
And remember – You can always contact us if something does go wrong.