NTSB -- [WARNING - NOT VIRUS SCANNED] NTSB calls for Safety Improvements in the commercial fishing industry

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NTSB PRESS RELEASE

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 8, 2011

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NTSB calls for Safety Improvements in the commercial fishing

industry

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WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

issued five safety recommendations to the U. S. Coast Guard,

regarding tougher standards for commercial fishing vessels,

crew training and increased use of flotation devices.

"The commercial fishing industry continues to have the

highest fatality rate of all occupations in the United

States; the safety hazards of this industry are

unacceptable," said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman. "While

numerous laws have been passed to protect fishing grounds

and fish populations, regulations to improve the safety of

commercial fisherman are long overdue."

NTSB has long been concerned about the high rate of vessel

losses and fatalities in the U.S. commercial fishing

industry. In the United States, deaths averaged 158 per

100,000 commercial fishing industry workers from 1992 to

2008, compared with an average of 4 fatalities per 100,000

workers in all occupations nationwide.

These issues were highlighted during the NTSB's forum on

fishing vessel safety, held last October, in Washington, DC.

During the forum, experts from the U.S. Coast Guard and

industry identified numerous issues which need to be

addressed to improve the safety of commercial fishing,

including lifesaving equipment, replacing older vessels, and

crew training - from both industry and government

perspectives. The forum also identified strategies for

preventing accidents and reducing the industry's high rate

of injuries and fatalities.

The safety recommendations being issued today are a direct

result of the information gathered during the 2-day forum

and the recently completed investigations of the loss of the

F/V Lady Mary and F/V Katmai. The full list of safety

recommendations can be found at:

http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/recletters/2011/M-11-023-027.pdf.

# NTSB #

Contact: NTSB Public Affairs

Keith Holloway,(202) 314-6100

hollowk@xxxxxxxx

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an

independent federal agency charged with determining the

probable cause of transportation accidents and promoting

transportation safety, and assisting victims of

transportation accidents and their families.

For more information, visit: www.NTSB.gov.

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