This is the 50th anniversary of the “Columbus Day Storm,” the most powerful extratropical storm of all time. It is an appropriate moment to contemplate the significance of fall weather patterns to the North Pacific marine industry. Many years ago, a partner at the maritime law firm of BoatLaw was a principal of a tug…
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the Center for Disease Control, recently published studies on the fatality rates for the commercial fishing industry for the past decade. The reports confirmed that commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States from 2000 – 2010. As many…
The Center for Public Integrity, an investigative news organization based in Washington, D.C. has published a report on fishing vessel safety issues. The following is excerpted: Commercial fishing is the deadliest vocation in the United States. Four years running, from 2007 to 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked commercial fishing as the most dangerous…
The ARICA, a factory trawl fishing vessel at a dry dock on the east side of Lake Union, began taking on water one day last week. Crews members were pumping out water from the boat when they lost power and called the Seattle Fire Department around 5:15 a.m. Fire department crews arrived and began helping…
The NTSB recently completed its investigation into the sinking of the Fishing Vessel Katmai on October 22, 2008. The National Transportation Safety Board released their report on the disaster, and it concluded that the boat had a number of stability problems that made it unable to withstand extreme storm conditions in the Bering Sea. As…
In 2009, the scallop trawler LADY MARY tragically sank off the coast of Cape May, N.J., resulting in the loss of six lives. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation revealed that structural modifications had been made to the vessel without consulting a naval architect, leading to serious stability issues. The crew was unaware of…
Two influential senators from opposite coasts, each hailing from states with rich maritime traditions, hold the key to passing crucial legislation aimed at overhauling inspections and safety standards for America’s fishing fleets. Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, who chairs the Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and…
BoatLaw has being fighting to improve fishing vessel safety for 30 years. We have fought hundreds of lawsuits to penalize vessel owners for negligence and unseaworthy conditions. To date governmental regulation has been limited. For decades industry lobbyists have opposed inspection of fishing vessels and license requirements for shipboard personnel. Deckhand, engineer, cook, mate —…
Fishermen believe that they observe large gaps in the biological data that is to be used in the updated Atlantic King Mackerel stock assessment. The new stock assessment does not line up with what we are observing, states Kelly Schoolcraft, a fisherman from North Carolina. The new stock assessment is scheduled for review and completion…
The owners of the ill fated fishing vessel the Alaska Ranger have begun legal maneuvering to avoid liability for the deadly ship sinking in March. The lawyers for the Fishing Company of Alaska (“FCA”) have invoked an archaic piece of maritime law that limits the amount of money that can be sought by survivors or the…
