SafeCatch

Projects: SC1-FVSLA | SC2-POR | SC3-SFVS | SC4-IF | SC5-CHFP | SC6-CARR

Project Co-Leaders:
Dr. Stephen Bornstein , Director, Center of Applied Health Research; Co-Director, SafetyNet

Dr. Michael Murray , Professor of Social and Health Psychology, Division of Community Health, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Coordinators:
Pablo Navarro (2002-2003)
Ian Fong (2004-2006)
Matt Windle (2006)

The Project:
SafeCatch consists of 6 linked component studies on fish harvester occupational health and fishing vessel safety. SafeCatch is a multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral research initiative that incorporates a substantial ongoing knowledge exchange component. The initiative adopts a comprehensive approach to investigating the factors that influence fishing safety through six linked components.

1. Comparative Analysis of Regulatory Regimes (CARR): A comparative analysis of fishing accidents, and fishery regulatory regimes and management practices in Canada and other countries
2. Fishing Vessel Safety Longitudinal Analysis (FVSLA): A longitudinal analysis (1989-2001) that uses a new comprehensive, inter-sectoral linked database to identify and interpret the factors that influence the rates of injuries, fatalities and SAR incidents
3. Perceptions of Risk (POR): A focus group and survey-based study conducted with fish harvesters on their perceptions of the causes of accidents and near-misses and their suggested solutions
4. Safer Fishing Vessel Seakeeping (SFVS): An engineering study to collect sea-trial data in order to complete and validate a computer model for predicting the impact of vessel design on seakeeping characteristics and fish harvester occupational safety
5. Injured Fishers (IF): An interview-based study of injured fishers investigating their experiences and the psychological and social impacts of occupationally related long-term disability
6. Community Healthy Fishery Program (CHFP): The development of an interactive, community-based OHS and fishing vessel safety education program for fish harvesters

Relevant results from each component will inform the research design and interpretation of results from others. Working in collaboration with research and community partners, we will develop a series of recommendations to promote safety in the fishing industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. In addition, the research will seek to inform the development of effective inter-sectoral collaborations to reduce fish harvester injuries and fatalities and fishing vessel incidents.

An overview and key research findings of the SafeCatch program are presented in the SafeCatch Executive Summary document, submitted to the National Search and Rescue Secretariat New Initiatives Fund (NIF) in March 2006.