The Anglo-North Irish Fish Producer Organisation (ANIFPO) is undertaking a number of initiatives to improve the safety of fishing vessels and their crews in the Irish Sea.
The funding given through the NFFO (National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations) Training Trust, will be put towards training projects, including installing multi-media and IT equipment to aid the delivery of training courses; the provision of a pilot personal health and training course (to assist fishermen in the prevention of back/strain injuries); and the delivery of a ‘train the trainer’ course for seven people (to increase the number of available Seafish approved trainers in NI).
The funding will also be used for assistance with the delivery of 45 Safety Folders, in order to follow through on the commitment made to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch following the Zenith tragedy, where fisherman Nikolai Nedoliz fell overboard. The MAIB blamed the accident on the unsafe practice of crew standing on the top rail at the back of the trawler.
Since the NFFO Training Trust was formed in October 1999 £845,531 has been donated to the fishing industry via grants for fishermen’s training and safety equipment.
