Risk Versus Reward in the Fishery
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained” and “no pain, no gain” are age-old sayings, generally accepted as true, that suggest rewards come only from taking risks.
It is also commonly believed that bigger rewards come from taking bigger risks — i.e. a greater willingness to do things that are new and different from what others are doing. If you are not a risk-taker, you are very unlikely to achieve more than others and reap the rewards from doing so.
Everyone has ideas but not everyone ...
Ensure Your Stability Booklet is Up To Date
It’s that time of year when vessel owners are either finishing modification work on their vessels that they started late last fall, or are considering modification work they would like to complete this summer or fall, or they are getting their vessels geared up to go fishing for the current season.
All of these decisions will ultimately affect the stability of their vessel.
Not all owners give consideration to the affect of changes on their vessel’s stability. Modifications such as ...
Volunteers Helping to Save Lives
Whether it’s a medical emergency, a missing boater, or a vessel in trouble, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary (CCGA) members are ready and willing to help fellow mariners in distress.
An important part of the national search and rescue response system, CCGA members are commercial fishermen and recreational boaters who volunteer their own time, vessels, and equipment to assist fellow mariners in distress and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) with search and rescue activities.
In Canada, the ...
Saving Lives in Atlantic Canada — The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax
Search and Rescue (SAR) is an absolute necessity in Atlantic Canada, where long coastlines and deep waters combine with often tempestuous weather, increasing cruise ship traffic and ever active, often high-risk fishery operations.
The Search and Rescue Region (SRR) Halifax covers 4.7-million square kilometres and over 29,000 kilometres of coastline. The region encompasses all of the Atlantic provinces, the eastern half of Quebec, the southern half of Baffin Island and a large area of the ...
TSB Watchlist Calls on the Canadian Marine Transportation Industry to Take Action
Advancing transportation safety in Canada can often be a slow and arduous process. But at the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), we are convinced that if we continue to press for change — lives can, and will, be saved.
That’s why the TSB works diligently to increase the uptake of the recommendations we make to regulators and industry. Through our investigations, we make compelling arguments to make improvements to safety that will save lives, protect transportation infrastruc...
Safety Must Evolve With the Fishery
The fishery has never been more popular in the mainstream media.
Several television shows, highlighting various segments of the fishing industry, are attracting millions of viewers each week. Network executives and producers have caught on that the fishing industry makes for good reality television — it has everything viewers are looking for; stunning backdrops, interesting and memorable characters, excitement and suspense, sprinkled with a touch of danger.
For the couch-sitting, ...
Coast Guard Reopens Seasonal SAR Bases
Now that spring is here, the Canadian Coast Guard would like to inform the public that its seasonal search and rescue bases in Quebec City, Tadoussac, Kegaska, Rivière-au-Renard, Havre-Saint-Pierre and Cap-aux-Meules are open.
The Canadian Coast Guard’s seasonal bases are strategically located to provide rapid assistance and reduce the number and severity of maritime incidents and risks to the environment. The bases are open from April to November.
The Canadian Coast Guard reminds the ...
Abandon Ship: Tips on Surviving in Cold Water
In our previous articles we’ve discussed some of the things you can do if you find yourself in an emergency situation on the water.
Let’s say you’ve done everything right so far: you’ve told someone your voyage plan before you left dock; registered and triggered your Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB); shot off a flare; called in a Mayday giving your location, the number of people on board and the nature of the emergency and put on your safety gear, providing both ...
Dressing For Success: Being Prepared for an Emergency
This information is intended for adults who work on the water. The guidelines for recreational activities and safety gear for children are different and we encourage you to contact our colleagues at Transport Canada, who were invaluable to us in preparing this column.
Those who make a living on the water in Atlantic Canada deal with adverse weather conditions regularly.
Strong winds, rough seas and cold temperatures often make up a typical day at work. When dangerous conditions are a ...
Distress Flares: The Low-Tech, Last-Ditch Option That Might Just Save You
With the arsenal of distress signaling options available to mariners now, there are a lot of things that have to malfunction before you’ll find yourself rummaging for flares in your emergency kit.
But should the unfortunate situation arise where flares are all you’ve got, here are a few important things to keep in mind.
All distress signaling devices have pros and cons.
Flares may be a ‘last-ditch’ choice, but if used correctly, parachute flares can be seen upwards of 40 miles ...
