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Course Details for
Fishing Vessel Stability Education Program
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An Overview
The Fishing Vessel Stability Education Program has been developed in response
to the need for education about fishing vessel stability as identified by Transport
Canada, the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB)and fishermen themselves.
This 30 hour course has been designed as a practical program including basic
theory and real time operating guidelines all delivered in a casual, hands-on
learning environment that has received excellent feedback so far.
Program Objective
Commercial fishing continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations in
Canada. Statistics show that stability related incidents over the last 30 years and
recent tragic losses support this reality. Transportation Safety Board Reports
indicate that fishing vessel stability
occurrences are generally the result
of multiple factors. As a result, the
overall Fish Safe Program has been
designed to reach fishermen coast
wide on a cultural level and make
safety their number one priority in
their everyday decisions.
The primary goal of the Fishing
Vessel Stability Education Program
is to inform fishermen about the
cumulative nature of multiple factors
that can lead to capsizing including
vessel modifications and gear
changes to participate in different
fisheries; reduced freeboard; lack of
water tight integrity of hatches and
scuttles; where weight is situated
on a vessel, and; the effect of free
surface on vessel stability.
Who Should Take the Program?
The Fishing Vessel Stability Education Program is designed for all commercial
fishing skippers, deckhands, vessel owners, fleet managers and anyone who has
a stake in the best interests of safety at sea for commercial fishermen. Fishermen
with existing marine certification will find the fishing focus and practical application
an important enhancement to their existing knowledge and experience.
The program is facilitated by fishermen qualified in Fish Safe teaching
methodology. No sea time or pre-requisites are required, but pre-registration
is required. |
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Certification
Certification is provided by Fish Safe
following successful completion of the course
indicating that the participant has obtained
the standard of fishing vessel knowledge
required by both Transport Canada and WCB.
And more importantly, fishermen receive a
standard of knowledge to take ownership of
stability decisions on their vessel.
Program Activities
The Fishing Vessel Stability Education
Program is based on participatory learning
using models, videos and hands-on activities
to explain stability principles.
The Program starts with “why do fishing
vessels float?” This is a participatory hands
on activity using a tank and “vessels” that
allow participants to prove Archimedes’
Principle and recognize the relationship
between construction considerations, vessel
modifications and fishing operations.
Examples of other activities include reviewing Transportation Safety Board findings on
fishing vessel losses and identifying the cumulative factors that led to the losses. Case
study activities ask participants to be “investigators” and determine where the cumulative
aspect of a capsize began and how it could have been prevented. And field trips to
conduct a roll period test and role playing as a form of evaluation are also key activities.
Program Results
At the completion of the course you
will be able to successfully:
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- talk about stability with personal
authority;
- read a stability data book and find
information that will be useful to your
fishing operation;
- appreciate the cumulative nature of
threats to vessel stability;
- write stability instructions specific to
your vessel and fishing operations,
and;
- take ownership of fundamental
principles of stability that will assist
you in your daily operation.
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