The head of the coastguard is to meet a leading fishermen’s organisation in Northern Ireland to discuss ways to improve safety at sea.
Chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Sir Alan Massey is meeting the Fishermen’s Mission charity in Kilkeel to examine how they can work together on the issue. Sir Alan said he wanted to foster a culture where wearing a life jacket was the norm.
The agency has highlighted that 26 fishermen who died between 2007 and 2011 in UK waters may have survived if they had been wearing a life jacket.
The MCA chairs the Fishing Industry Safety Group, which is made up of representatives from fishing fleets and other associated bodies.
Sir Alan said everyone in the group was keen to nurture improvements in the safety of commercial fishing vessel operations.
Irish Independent. 05/03/2013. Read the article ‘Meeting to discuss fishermen safety’
