Despite the deaths of 131 commercial fishermen from 2000 to 2009, the regulation of fishing vessel safety is very limited, in part, due to a strong commercial fishing lobby. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), half of these fishermen died from vessel disasters and another…
An engine room fire was reported yesterday afternoon aboard the 334-foot fishing vessel ARCTIC STORM off the Washington Coast, about 30 miles west of Gray’s Harbor. The vessel’s crew reported the fire at approximately 3:30 p.m., notifying the Coast Guard that there was an uncontrollable engine room fire. At the…
The Washington State Supreme Court ruled en banc yesterday in Dean v. The Fishing Company of Alaska, Inc., a case involving wrongful termination of a seaman’s right to maintenance and cure. The court ruled that where a seaman’s maintenance and cure have been cut off by the vessel owner, the…
Fish processors working on fishing vessels in Alaska work long hours under difficult working conditions. Unfortunately, hand and arm injuries are common in the Alaska fishing industry. The hands of fish processors or fishermen can get caught in moving Baader processing equipment, augers, unguarded machinery, bait choppers, conveyor belts, cut…
Fish processors on factory trawlers work long hours under difficult and often dangerous conditions. Injuries are common and can change your life forever. In the wake of an injury, it is important that a fish processor understand the important differences between the Jones Act and Alaska state workers’ compensations laws. …