AMSEA Blog

The National Transportation Safety Board has released the findings of its investigation into the 2019 sinking of the F/V Scandies Rose. The NTSB has found no fault with the vessel, captain, or crew that contributed to the sinking. Rather, they found that the information captain Gary Cobban, Jr. and the crew used when loading the vessel and making the decision to leave port, failed to provide the information they needed to ensure the safety of the vessel and to protect their l

AMSEA's Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor Training got some nice media attention this past week. A story from Dillingham radio station, KDLG, described the training like this. "The course goes over the survival equipment that fishermen are required to have on their vessels, based on the Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Act passed by congress in 1988. That equipment includes immersion suits, survival rafts, signal flares, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons, and personal

Commercial fishing is often referred to as a “dangerous” occupation, but perhaps a better description is “hazardous”. After all, danger suggests an unavoidable risk of injury or death, but hazards are manageable and competent fishermen manage hazards all the time. Hazard management starts with preparation of the boat and the equipment that the crew will rely on to keep them safe while at sea and in case of an emergency. Vessel Preparation Vessel safety starts in the boatyard,