THE DISPROPORTIONATE number of deaths in the South African fishing industry can be ascribed to a serious lack of safety culture - from fishermen to deck hands to managers, says the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa).
The authority hopes to rectify this by putting in place legislation making it mandatory for anyone joining a ship for the first time to have undergone a safety induction course, without which no seaman will be able to carry a record book.
Samsa also hopes to initiate a familiarisation course for seamen joining a ship for the first time so that they know exactly what their duties are.
South Africa has lost about 17 fishermen a year over the past five years while Samsa has detained over the past 12 months 36 fishing vessels due to deficiencies in equipment, the hull or certification of officers.
One of the problems facing the industry is that the country's fishing fleet is ageing and local companies are increasingly buying second hand vessels from Europe, then modifying and using them for types of fishing for which they were not designed and certainly in seas rougher than those around Europe.
Expressing concern, Samsa's Captain Bill Dernier says the authority is currently working toward new legislation that will specify a minimum bow and stern height which will hopefully address the problem as owners will then have to comply with minimum freeboard rules.
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