Welsh fishermen address growing number of tragic losses at sea

The U.K. Seafish Authority and the Welsh fishing industry’s deep concern over fishing safety and the high number of tragic deaths of fishermen at sea this year has led to a new joint initiative aimed at raising awareness and improving the safety of Welsh fishing vessels and fishermen while working at sea.

Regional fishermen’s associations in Wales will have their first meeting next month to discuss key health and safety issues facing the fleet and identify practical, workable solutions. 

The recent tragic loss of the vessel "Harvester" off Milford Haven has emphasized the need for an industry-wide response and it is hoped that the meeting may lead to the formation of an industry-lead Fishing Safety Committee or Forum that addresses safety issues on behalf of the Welsh fleet to achieve zero fishing-related deaths in Wales.

The first meeting, on 4 October in Builth Wells, is being facilitated by Seafish and will be chaired by Robert Greenwood, an independent safety consultant, safety officer for the NFFO in England, and creator of the free online “Safety Folder” for fishing vessels.

Dr. Holly Whiteley of Seafish Wales, said, “This is a great opportunity for the fishing industry in Wales to come together and have their voices heard in tackling this major issue. The recent Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) statistics for the number of lives lost at sea this year is shocking. It is vital that our industry work together to find long term solutions so that we can make this tragic loss of life a thing of the past.” 

Alongside this initiative, Seafish is also working with the two charities Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Fishermen’s Mission to launch a collaborative Wales Fishing Safety project this winter. This project will build upon Seafish’s “Sea You Home Safe” campaign to raise awareness and further improve the safety of fishermen whilst working at sea.

Subscribe

Want seafood news sent to your inbox?

You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street, Portland, ME 04101 | +1 207-842-5500
None