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Brankin encourages fishermen to train for survival
23/03/2001
Scottish Fisheries Minister Rhona Brankin today welcomed the forthcoming availability of free safety training courses for fishermen, in Scotland and throughout the UK; and encouraged fishermen to take up places on courses to help ensure their own and others' safety and survival at sea.
Speaking at the Fishing 2001 exhibition, where she had visited the stands and spoken to staff of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Seafish - both key contributors to implementing the safety training initiative - Ms Brankin said:
"The Scottish Executive is pleased to support the provision of safety training for fishermen in Scotland.
"The collaborative way in which the safety training initiative has been worked up - involving government departments and industry interests from around the UK - shows the overall commitment to tackling the safety problem in fishing. We need to ensure that translates into increased awareness of risk and a reduction in the number of incidents and accidents at sea.
"I applaud the efforts of all those who have been involved in developing the training courses; and I encourage Scottish fishermen to take advantage of the opportunities they offer."
The Scottish Executive has pledged up to £1.5 million over the next 3 financial years to provide safety training for fishermen in Scotland, co-funded from the EU Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). The Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions has funded development of the courses, which are to be provided by the Sea Fish Industry Authority through the Group Training Associations.
Support is also available in Scotland, through schemes under the FIFG programmes, for the testing and trials of innovative or experimental equipment on board fishing vessels.
BACKGROUND
1. The Scottish Executive, and the other Fisheries Departments in the UK, have agreed to contribute funding to support the delivery, over the next 3 years, of the following courses:-
- training for new entrants to the industry on survival at sea, fire prevention and fire fighting and a new course on safe working practices;
- accident prevention and risk awareness; and
- safety update courses for "age-exempt" fishermen (born before 1 March 1954).
2. Courses will be voluntary for 12 months from 1 April, mandatory thereafter. They will be provided through the Sea Fish Industry Authority via the Group Training Associations, to whom enquiries about course availability should be addressed.
News Release: SE0773/2001
23 Mar 2001