International Fishing Industry Safety and Health Conference 2003 : Sitka, Alaska)

"This volume contains material that was presented at the Second International Fishing Industry Safety and Health Conference in Sitka, Alaska, on September 22 through September 24, 2003. IFISH II was sponsored by NIOSHs Alaska Field Station and convened with the help of the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association of Sitka. More than 125 participants attended sessions on various aspects of commercial fishing safety. Forty speakers addressed topics ranging from deck safety needs for crabbers working in northern waters to policy changes for Pacific Island States. Among the presenters were seven speakers sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization who provided overviews of commercial fishing safety programs in developing countries, including Tonga, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Senegal, and Chile. An emphasis on practical solutions for fishing safety emerged in presentations given throughout the conference. Speakers discussed slip-resistant footwear, orientation and safety programs for new seafood processor workers from rural Alaska, and programs for increasing physical fitness for Faroese Islander fishermen. Other speakers focused on findings from recent fishing vessel disasters and discussed ways that fishing vessel owners and crew could prevent such events. All had the opportunity to present their findings and answer questions from the audience. IFISH IIs focus on safer working environments for commercial fishermen is part of a growing international emphasis on the need for collaboration among governments, nongovernmental entities, vessel owners and operators, and fishermen themselves to develop effective safety programs. Our hope is that these proceedings contribute to these efforts by underscoring the hazards that commercial fishermen face each day at work and by illustrating the many ways in which collaborative partnerships can help promote safer fishing throughout the world." - NIOSHTIC-2

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection