The industry appears to be fully behind a bill that will, for the first time, mandate safety inspections of all commercial fishing vessels. Currently, the safety inspections are voluntary. Yes, voluntary – in the most dangerous occupation in the nation.
The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., in response to fishing deaths off the New England coast, was approved in both the House and Senate and is awaiting President Barack Obama's signature. The president is expected to sign it.
In addition to mandatory U.S. Coast Guard safety inspections twice in every five-year period, the bill will require safety training for vessel operators, new construction standards for boats longer than 50 feet, and the addition of a "load line" (to show how low in the water a loaded boat can go before becoming unstable) on boats longer than 79 feet.
The bill also allows some leeway for older vessels that can't meet all the standards for new vessels. The industry was concerned that the new rules could drive some boats out of business. That seems reasonable – depending on the amount of leeway granted. After all, the age of the nation's fishing fleet is, in fact, a key component of the safety problem.
But it is a good sign that Congress has finally addressed this problem – and that the fishing industry is behind it. Too many have already died – nine alone aboard vessels fishing out of Cape May, the Lady Mary and the Sea Tractor, in 2009. The port of Point Pleasant Beach lost two fishermen aboard the Alisha Marie in that same year.
Read the complete editorial from the Press of Atlantic City.