Forum Speakers Focus on Fishermen's Safety

Improving the health and safety of fishermen was a theme that ran throughout

the three-day Maine Fishermen’s Forum in early March. Whether physical

health or safety at sea, keeping Maine’s fishermen well is a concern of many

organizations and individuals.

Presenters emphasized the importance of wearing a PFD at all times. Photo courtesy of Atlantic Fisherman.

Mark Murry, Department of Marine Resources Marine Patrol officer, kicked off

the Thursday session on Single-handed Fishermen Safety. He introduced Liz

Michaud, founder and director of Green and White Hope, a new nonprofi t organizationbased in Machias. Michaud founded Green and White Hope shortly

after the death of her nephew, lobsterman Tylar Michaud, who went overboard

while fi shing alone in 2023.

She offered the audience a scenario: what would you want to have on your boat

if your line got caught in the prop while setting a trap? How do you plan to get

back in the boat? What would you want to have if you cut yourself with a knife

while untangling the line? Audience members called out items such as a medical

kit, a cell phone, a telescoping ladder.

“Fishing is complex. Smaller boats are not subject to the same regulations as

documented boats fi shing offshore. You should take a safety class and you

should have the right equipment on board,” Michaud said.

Ann Backus, former instructor in occupational health at the T.H. Chan School

of Public Health, emphasized that fishermen need to evaluate their safety at

sea via the four-legged stool model. Th e legs of the stool are personal health

and self-knowledge, training, equipment, and vessel integrity. Single-handed

fishermen need to assess themselves and their boat based on these four categories and address any gaps before heading out.

Having a personal locator beacon attached to your PFD makes all the difference

in the world, said Chris Harrison, safety specialist at Chase, Leavitt and Co.

“Some beacons have AIS so you show up to local vessels. In some the signal can

pass through the water, go to a satellite and hail the Coast Guard. The smaller

ones are good for local response, the larger are good for calling the Coast

Guard,” he said. The beacon goes on when the PFD inflates and has a battery

that lasts seven years. The key thing is to wear the PFD. “Wear it. Twelve pounds

extra buoyancy makes a huge difference in staying afloat,” Harrison said.

Michaud then asked the audience what they would need if their boat got a hole

in the hull along the waterline. Various members called out items: a damage

control kit, a PFD, a pump, a radio.

Josh Duym, co-owner of REDDE Marine Safety Systems in Deer Isle, spoke about the need for an engine kill switch, particularly for those fi shing alone. He also emphasized the need to wear a PFD at all times. “Everyone has had an ‘Oh boy, that was close!’ moment,” he said. “Single handed fi shing is just not safe. It will never be as safe as fi shing with a crew.”

REDDE Marine sells a wireless Man Overboard Emergency Alarm that kills the boat engine when triggered. The equipment consists of a fob that attaches to a PFD. When the fob is a certain number of feet away from the vessel, it signals the engine to stop.

Another seminar at the Forum continued the focus on fishermen’s safety but from a community perspective. Green and White Hope recently published a Community Orchestration Guide which gives fishing communities a template for how to organize when tragedy strikes.

“I learned lessons when Tylar was lost that could be used in other cases,” Liz

Michaud said. “When something happens, the community comes out in droves

but no one is in charge. You must have someone immediately in charge at the

community level to act in harmony with the Coast Guard and other authorities.”

Having a community emergency plan will increase the speed and effectiveness

of a town’s response, she continued. She noted that for a fisherman lost overboard

in the Gulf of Maine, hypothermia will set in within an hour. It will take

45 minutes to two hours for the Coast Guard to reach the scene, less for the

area’s Marine Patrol officers. But time is definitely against anyone in the water.

John Roberts, a safety trainer with Fishing Partnership Support Services in

Massachusetts, stressed the need to have proper equipment onboard. “I say, meet

the requirements for your vessel and then pick three more things,” he said. Fishermen should have additional safety equipment with them, such as a personal location beacon. “It lets everyone know where you are in the water,” he said. “You should practice with all this stuff to become comfortable using it, not only on your boat but another’s. Fishermen are first responders at sea.”

Annie Sokoloski, founder of Voices of the Fleet, spoke of the need to identify beforehand who does what when catastrophe strikes. “Planning ensures that early response is immediate and coordinated so the first hour feels less chaotic,” she said. “Keep your search and rescue lists up to date. Know who has expertise. Who will be your lead communicator?”

Monique Coombs, Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, also noted the importance of careful communication. “Phase one is when communication can help or cause confusion. Identify a communication information person. Plan and

practice communications so it becomes automatic,” she said. “It’s important to

identify roles clearly.”

Michaud closed the session by noting that Maine Sea Grant has provided funding

for creation of community plans in two harbors this year, which her organization

will be involved in. Why? “Every fisherman deserves to come home,” she said.