A programme designed to improve the culture of safety in Australia’s commercial seafood industry has been launched by seafood industry body Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), in conjunction with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC).
Sea Safe is a four-year programme that will seek to drive culture improvements and changes throughout the sector through a focus on peer-to-peer sharing, learning and behaviour changes.
“The safety and wellbeing of our industry and its people is paramount, and we need to do everything we can to ensure our people and our operations are the safest they can be,” SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta said.
“Thanks to funding provided by AMSA and FRDC, Sea Safe is a great example of industry and the government working together to address the critical issue of safety.
“Safety is one of SIA, and the entire commercial seafood industries, top priorities and these sorts of initiatives are vital to keeping our seafood producers safe. No matter the industry, everyone deserves to be safe at work and every family deserves their loved-ones to come home unharmed.”
FRDC Managing Director Dr Patrick Hone said ensuring the safety of everyone working in commercial fisheries and aquaculture is of critical importance.
“Working at sea and around water is inherently high risk. Most risks can be managed through education and the use of safe practices. FRDC has invested in fishing and aquaculture safety programs and projects throughout Australia, over many years including FRDC-funded programmes such as SeSafe and FishSafe that have been instrumental in shaping the new Sea Safe programme,” he said.
“We want all people who work and play in, on or near the water, to be safe and go home to their families, so having a national Sea Safe programme will help build a safer culture for all our stakeholders.”
Up to 50 seafood communities nationally will be involved in the programme, with up to 100 Safety Advocates teaming up to collect and share stories, learning and tools to help keep each other coming home safely from work.
