West Coast Groundfish Observer Program Manual, Part2 - NOAA

CHAPTER 5
Safety Concerns on Fixed Gear Vessels
There are several safety concerns on fixed gear vessels of
which Observers should be especially aware. Safety First!!
It may be necessary to sample near the roller station or the
block where moving hooks or pots pose a serious threat. It
is not uncommon for crewmembers to be seriously injured
by incoming and outgoing hooks or pots. If a moving
length of line becomes entangled around a leg or an arm,
the line can drag a person overboard or into machinery.
While aboard a pot vessel, Observers should be conscious
of their surroundings at all times. Be aware of coils of line
attaching the buoys to the pot. These are deployed as the
pot is launched and have been known to wrap around
ankles and drag crew overboard.
Lastly, decks are often awash with water, fish entrails, and
whole fish, making them very slippery. In order to reduce
the risk of injury, always be conscious of dangers in the
immediate area.
Diversity of Fleet and Effects on Sampling
Although the fixed gear fleet is very diverse, sampling
protocols are consistent on all hook and line and pot
vessels (with the exception of prawn pot). There are,
however, a number of vessel characteristics that influence
catch sampling. The most important characteristics that
affect sampling are:
Fixed gear vessels range in
size from kayaks to 70’.
• Size – Although the amount of catch on fixed gear
vessels is usually small, limited deck space may cause
difficulties when sampling. Lack of storage space
for catch can affect sample size and often there is
not room for a platform scale, making it necessary to
rely on hand scales.
1/30/2004 5-15