Fishing vessel skippers take lead role in drive to improve the industry’s safety culture
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A new campaign from the Fishing Industry Safety Group (FISG) targets the higher risk under 10 metre fishing fleet in Scotland
As the weather starts to improve and the days get longer, a new commercial fishing safety campaign has launched today (March 3) to reduce fatalities and accidents amongst Scotland’s small fishing vessel fleet.
Under 10 metre vessels make up around 64 per cent of the whole UK’s fishing fleet. Scotland has 38 per cent of the under 10m fleet.
Data from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) shows that between 2007 and 2022, those working on vessels registered under 10m accounted for 45 per cent of all fishing industry fatalities where the person ended up in the water. Single handed operators account for 47 per cent of fatalities from under 10m vessels. Half of all the man overboard fatalities in the UK on under 10m vessels were in Scotland.
The latest Home and Dry campaign from FISG features under 10m fishing vessel skippers from across the country reflecting on what they miss most when out at sea and what they do to get themselves "back home and dry". The campaign is aiming to improve the safety culture in the fishing industry with adverts, posters and banners appearing at ports including the Highlands, Islands and Aberdeenshire.
Amy Farish, a female skipper from Walney Island in the Irish Sea features in the campaign film with her partner, Jack Marklew. They sell their catch directly to the public through their business A&J Fresh Fish Ltd. She says: “Working with my partner on our boat means we promote each other's safety when we are out fishing. My family and I are really close, we all live within five minutes of each other. I sadly lost my dad two years ago, so getting home safe to my mam and the rest of the family is what keeps me focused at sea.”
For more info visit www.homeanddry.uk The campaign will also feature across social media channels.
FISG is a group of fishing industry organisations, charities, public bodies, and regulators with a mission of improving the safety of commercial fishing at sea. The group launched the Home and Dry campaign in 2020 to share information and advice on safety at sea.
