Protecting Our Fishermen

Recent portrayals of the commercial fishing industry in film and literature have provided the American public with glimpses of the challenges and dangers associated with earning a living from the sea. Fishing families, including those in Maine, realize that these stories and movies merely scratch the surface of what today's fishermen face. Every day, our fishing communities struggle with the pressures of running a small business, complying with burdensome regulations, and maintaining their vessels and equipment. Added to these challenges are the dangers associated with fishing, where disaster can strike, often without notice.

Year in and year out, commercial fishing is ranked among the nation''s most dangerous occupations; often, it is the most dangerous occupation. Between the years 1992, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics began compiling occupational safety statistics, and 2003, 756 commercial fishing-related fatalities were documented. This profession is roughly 30 times more dangerous than the average occupation.

I have introduced a bill in the Senate, "The Commercial Fishermen Safety Act of 2005," to help fishermen purchase the safety equipment they need to survive when disaster strikes. This bill provides a tax credit equal to 75 percent of the amount paid by fishermen to purchase or maintain required safety equipment. The tax credit is capped at $1500. Items such as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) and immersion suits cost hundreds of dollars, and life rafts can reach into the thousands. The tax credit will make life-saving equipment more affordable for more fishermen.

Commercial fishing sees far too many tragedies throughout our coastal waters including the north Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, and the north Atlantic. The New England fishing community is no stranger to heartbreak. The 2004 - 2005 winter proved no exception, with the December 20, 2004 sinking of the Northern Edge. Five fishermen were lost during this incident, which was the worst loss of life in the New England fishing community since 1991. One fisherman, Pedro Furtado, was saved when the Northern Edge went down. Pedro was able to locate a life raft, to which he clung for half an hour in high winds and freezing temperatures before being rescued by the crew of a nearby scallop boat. This incident could have been even more tragic, if vital life-saving safety equipment had not been at hand.

Fishermen tell stories of dramatic rescues, stories that all have something in common: safety equipment. On February 9, 2005, a 38-foot gillnet vessel, Hollywood, sank 45 miles off of Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Aboard this boat were three fishermen, all of whom survived. These men survived despite 40 degree water temperatures. Two of the three crew members were wearing survival suits, and they all were able to get into a life raft before the boat sank.

Tragedy, however, has again visited the New England fishing community. In July alone, two New England vessels have sunk, during a time of year that is generally not considered as hazardous for the industry. On the evening of July 13, the Sirius sank 25 miles south of Matinicus Island, Maine. Sadly, the captain of the Sirius was lost. Fortunately, the two remaining crew members were rescued by fellow fishermen. Four short days later, another fishing vessel, Princess, sank off of Chatham, Massachusetts. Thankfully, the entire crew of this vessel was rescued, due in no small part to their safety equipment.

Coast Guard regulations require all fishing vessels to carry safety equipment. The requirements vary depending on factors such as the size of the vessel, the temperature of the water, and the distance the vessel travels from shore to fish.

Required equipment can include a life raft that automatically inflates and floats free should the vessel sink; personal flotation devices or immersion suits that help protect fishermen from exposure and increase buoyancy; EPIRBs, which relay a downed vessel's position to Coast Guard Search and Rescue Personnel; visual distress signals; and fire extinguishers.

When an emergency arises, safety equipment is priceless. At all other times, the cost of purchasing or maintaining this equipment must compete with other expenses such as loan payments, fuel, wages, maintenance, and insurance. Meeting all of these obligations is made more difficult by a regulatory framework that uses measures such as trip limits, days at sea, and gear alterations to manage our marine resources.

By extending a tax credit for the purchase of federally required safety equipment, we can help fishermen have a better chance of returning home each and every time they head out to sea. Safety equipment is critical to sustaining our fisheries and maintaining the proud fishing tradition that exists in the great state of Maine.

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