Deadly risk to fishermen who have to work alone

THE government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) yesterday issued a warning about the dangers of single-handed lobster and crab fishing operations following the deaths of two fishermen off Scotland’s coast in four months.

Bruce Pearson, 34, was lost overboard on 9 October, 2010. from the Fraserburgh- registered potting vessel Discovery. Neil Smith, 54, the skipper and owner of the Breadwinner, was dragged overboard and drowned off Shetland on 20 January this year while shooting prawn creels

The MAIB has taken the rare step of publishing a joint report on the two tragedies in a bid to highlight the safety watchdog’s concerns about the death toll on single-handed vessels.

Steve Clinch, the chief inspector of marine accidents, said the deaths of the two fishermen in Scotland were among three fatalities and a vessel loss in single-handed vessel operations in Britain last winter.

He said: “All these accidents were entirely avoidable – the common themes being poorly considered working practices and inadequate equipment design. The loss of fishermen from the vessels Discovery and Breadwinner were tragic events. There is a clear need for safer fishing gear and better guidance on safe working practices, especially for single-handed fishing operators.”