For only the second year in a row, there were no fatalities among Alaska’s commercial fishing fleets. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the credit goes to the fishermen.
Since 2015, Alaska has not experienced a single commercial fishing fatality in a whole year. According to the Coast Guard, nobody died in a fall overboard, on-deck accident, or sinking vessel during the 12-month period ending Sept. 30.
Scott Wilwert, Coast Guard’s safety coordinator for commercial fishing vessels, is his name. He stated that fatalities have fallen almost half in the past decade.
Wilwert stated that there were 210 of what we would call operational, commercial fishing deaths in Alaska between 1990 and 1999. “And that number dropped to 107 over the 10 year period 2000-2009.” Then, from 2010 to 2019, it dropped to 62.”
Wilwert stated that there have been only 10 deaths from commercial fishing in Alaska since 2020.
He stated that there was a decreasing trend in commercial operational deaths in the industry.
What is the reason for this downward shift?
Wilwert stated that it is a combination between changing the regulations for fishing and an industry culture that focuses on preventing accidents.
He stated, “I believe that the fishermen I come into contact with and all our (dockside), examiners come into contact with are more safety conscious, understand the risks and they take the preparations. That’s a large piece of the puzzle.”
Wilwert stated that this is a stark contrast to the 70s and 80s when there were few openings. Captains would fish in a sprint, sometimes at the cost of safety.
“In certain sectors, fishermen can now choose when they want out and skip weather windows or look for better weather windows, rather than the old derby days back in the 70s or 80s when you had to overload or load your deck with fish or gear because you only had six to eight days to catch the crab or the halibut, or whatever,” he stated.
Wilwert stressed the importance of mariners staying up-to-date on safety recommendations, equipment, and taking part in dockside inspections offered by Coast Guard before it’s too late.
He stated, “The moment to learn how to use any one of that stuff isn’t at the moment of truth.”
Tracy Welch serves as the executive director of United Fishermen of Alaska.
“ We’re a large industry, but in some ways, we’re (a] really small industry,” she stated. “Everybody knows someone who knows somebody,” she said. These deaths are terrible.”
Welch stated that she believes things have improved over the past few decades in education.
She said that she believes the younger generation of fishermen is moving to more rationalized fisheries. This is in contrast to derby-style fisheries. It’s allowed people to concentrate on safety and making it home at night.
Welch stated that she hopes the trend continues.
