The emphasis is on safety as thousands of fishers gear up for the opening of the southwestern Nova Scotia commercial lobster fishery, scheduled for Nov. 30.
“Ahead of dumping day, the most important catch is your crew coming home safe,” said Richard MacLean, executive director of Fish Safe NS.
“Before you cast off, double-check the basics. Ensure your traps are stacked properly and your load is balanced. Keep your lines neat and pathways clear. Always wear your PFD. Ensure your immersion suit fits and is functioning properly. Confirm your emergency gear, radio and emergency beacons are fully functional. Plan ahead. Arrive home safe. Your family wants you home,” advised MacLean.
Going into the fall season, MacLean said Fish Safe NS has been expanding its outreach across both the harvesting and seafood-processing sectors, including conducting on-vessel Transport Canada safety drills and providing free man-overboard (MOB) drills for fishing vessels as well as helping companies develop and audit occupational health and safety (OHS) programs.
Fish Safe NS has also been carrying out site visits with seafood processors and aquaculture companies, partnering with regional employment and industry organizations to increase safety engagement and promoting safety equipment rebates for items such as life rafts, immersion suits, EPIRBs, personal locator beacons and AEDs.
Earlier this year, Fish Safe NS opened a satellite office in Tusket, N.S.
“It has really helped with our visibility in the region and functions as a base of operations for Fish Safe NS in southwest Nova, so we don’t have to go back and forth from Halifax every day. Gary Hunt, our Safety Coordinator, is there on a regular basis, but obviously we are out of the office on wharves many times a week. We also hired Courtney Thomas as our Member Services Coordinator; she is based in Southwest Nova as well and is visiting our members and industry partners to strengthen our ties to the community,” said MacLean.
“We have also started a family committee to bridge the gap between what our members’ needs are and the services we provide. We have seen a huge increase in calls and emails for our service because of these initiatives,” MacLean added.
“This summer we attended 13 community events and met with thousands of people connected to the industry, both members and non-members, and distributed informational items, vessel safety sheets and answered many fishing-related safety questions. The response was phenomenal from the events,” MacLean said.
Regarded as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, unfortunately there has been one fatality in the Nova Scotia fishing industry so far this year and two last year, noted MacLean.
For further information about Fish Safe NS, available safety equipment rebates, to book an MOB drill or download safety resources, visit www.fishsafens.ca.
