Fishers across the UK are being urged to sign up for essential safety training designed to save lives and prevent serious incidents at sea, as new Man Overboard Awareness sessions are rolled out this late winter and spring.
Delivered by Seafish, the fully funded training events will take place in Lowestoft, Aberdeen and South Shields. The sessions form part of a national safety programme focused on reducing the risk of man overboard incidents, which remain the single biggest cause of workplace fatalities in the commercial fishing sector.
“Man Overboard Awareness events give fishermen the experience and confidence they need to understand just how quickly a routine moment can become life-threatening at sea,” said Seafish fishermen’s training advisor Lee Haigh.
“This training is about saving lives and showing crews not only how to respond but, crucially, how to prevent such incidents from happening in the first place.”
READ MORE: Seafish and RNLI launch survival training
The Man Overboard Awareness sessions provide participants with first-hand experience of emergency situations in a controlled but highly realistic environment. Fishermen will take part in in-water exercises that simulate challenging sea conditions, including wind, rain and wave effects, helping to reinforce safe working practices and raise awareness of the dangers faced at sea.
Throughout the day, attendees will learn about the common causes of falling overboard, practical prevention strategies and how to improve their chances of survival should an incident occur. Practical elements include entering the water in normal work clothing and oilskins, both with and without a personal flotation device, practising entry into a life raft, and using ladders and rescue lines.
There is no cost to attend the events, with training fully funded by Seafish. To remove further barriers to participation, Seafish will also reimburse reasonable travel and subsistence costs for those taking part.
For further details and to book a place, visit the Seafish website.
