Now that commercial fishing safety classes have sharpened fishermen’s at-sea safety skills, the Coast Guard wants to build on that knowledge with additional training in vessel stability.
The agency is sponsoring six, free training sessions across the Northeast that will teach fishing vessel owners and their crews stability principles and best practices that can help prevent vessels from flooding, sinking or capsizing.
The goal of the training symposium, which begins in New Bedford on Tuesday, is to prevent fishing deaths in the Northeast region, which has averaged about four fishing deaths each year since 2005, according to the Coast Guard.
"We want to help them recognize potential stability issues that can arise throughout a vessel’s voyage, whether it is at the pier, in transit, or engaged in fishing," said Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Haag, who is coordinating the program.