// Occupations and Workplaces

Commercial Fishing

What should I know before reading about this occupation? This profile summarizes the common issues and duties for commercial fishing operations.

// Issues
30
// Requirements
16
// Page links
45
Contents Hand tools Portal Graph
  • context This profile summarizes the common issues and duties for commercial fishing operations. It is impossible to predict all of the possible hazards a commercial fishing person may encounter. The demands can be sporadic and unpredictable with intermittent periods of intense physical and psychological stress. This summary focuses on the major job duties that most commercial fishing persons (those fishing primarily from a vessel on water) would have in common.
  • context This document is not specific to enforcement, rescue, or diving operations. These occupations require specific training and qualifications beyond the general information provided here.

The main duties of a commercial fishing person include:

  • duty Use instruments and navigation aids.
  • duty Maintain vessel and equipment.
  • duty Housekeeping.
  • duty Work outdoors in extreme environments.
  • duty Lift, push, and pull the catch, cargo, and objects.
  • duty Work in the cold (e.g., weather, freezers, cold water).
  • duty Work with machinery, including winches and other rotating equipment.
  • duty Perform water rescue, as necessary.

Commercial fishing is done in an extreme environment, and uses various types of equipment. Because the environment can change quickly, it is important to remain alert to any changes. Hazards include (but are not limited to): Two key concerns that have been identified in the commercial fishing industry include modifications made to vessels and their impacts on stability, and inadequate or failure to use lifesaving equipment (i.e., personal flotation devices, immersion suits, and emergency signalling devices). These concerns are highlighted by the number of deaths occurring due to people falling overboard, and vessels capsizing, which are two of the most common causes of death (Transportation Safety Board of Canada, 2022).

  • ergonomic Working on or near water, including cold-water shock and immersion
  • general Drowning
  • biological Injuries from fish spines, bones, teeth, or bacteria
  • general Weather (including lightning)
  • physical Cold environments
  • general Hot environments
  • general Humidex rating
  • physical Ultraviolent radiation (sunlight)
  • general Extreme climate events
  • biological Working safely around stinging Insects
  • biological Diseases transmitted by insect bites, including Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus
  • general Working outdoors:
  • safety Working at heights, including the use of body belts, harnesses and lanyards
  • safety Working in confined spaces
  • safety Working near machinery, including using safeguards
  • general Working with hand tools and powered hand tools
  • chemical Chemical hazards, including following WHMIS – the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
  • physical Noise
  • safety Slips, trips, falls
  • general Working on ladders
  • ergonomic Work-related musculoskeletal disorders
  • ergonomic Lifting and materials handling
  • general Pulling and pushing
  • safety Damage to the boat, including fire collision, grounding, capsizing,
  • psychosocial Fatigue from long hours of work or shiftwork
  • general Food and kitchen hygiene
  • general Cooking safely
  • safety Working with sharp blades or edges
  • psychosocial Working alone
  • psychosocial Workplace violence and harassment
  • administrative All crew members should know how to respond to a person overboard, fire on board, and flooding of the boat. The crew must also know how to abandon ship, and to call for help using any radios, phones, flares, distress flags, or other emergency signals. All crew should also know the location and use of safety equipment, engine room components and controls, deck equipment and rigging, and navigation equipment and electronic devices. The crew should also know how to safely use the fishing equipment, how to anchor the boat, and how to escape the boat. Everyone on board the vessel should know what their responsibilities are in the event of an emergency, where to access the appropriate equipment and how to use it, and what procedures need to be followed.. Learn exactly what specific requirements and regulations apply to your vessel.
  • requirement Drills should be done regularly, including at the beginning of the season, and anytime when new crew is on board. Drills can include how to abandon ship, how to deal with a situation (flood, fire, collision, etc.), how to put on the immersion suit, and how to rescue a person who fell overboard. Use of life jackets or personal flotation devices (PFDs) is required by law. Immersion suits are also recommended when working over cold water.
  • context Before leaving port, inspect and test equipment including the hull of the boat, watertight doors and hatches, all alarm systems, and rescue equipment. Keep doors and hatches closed to avoid flooding.
  • context Keep all machinery in good repair, and make sure all guards and emergency stop devices are installed and working correctly. Regularly inspect all rescue equipment and report any damage to the vessel master. Do not wear loose-fitting clothing or dangling jewellery or rings as they may get caught in nets, lines, or machinery. Tie back long hair.
  • context When boarding or leaving the vessel, use the gangway or ladder. Don't jump.
  • context Decks should have non-slip surfaces (except where a smooth surface is required to handle fish). Keep decks clear and uncluttered.
  • context Stow all ropes in coils. Tie down or stow loose equipment. Clean up spills and manage any water or ice issues to avoid slips and falls.
  • context Vessels with galleys and crew quarters will need to manage food and kitchen cleanliness to prevent food borne diseases, as well as knowing how to work safely with sharp blades or knives. In addition, cooking must be managed in a small space that moves with the motion of the vessel. Store utensils in racks and drawers, and use a guardrail on the stove to help stop pots and pans from moving.
  • context Make sure that cabins and living quarters are well-ventilated, and use alarms to alert the crew (e.g., carbon monoxide detectors).
  • context Never stand in or around loose rope or wire to avoid getting entangled, especially when wires, ropes or nets are moving.
  • context Wear heavy gloves or mitts when handling wire rope, and never guide wire with your hands or feet.
  • context Do not stand under a load or in areas where overhead equipment may swing.
  • context Make sure the vessel is equipped with the appropriate life saving equipment (e.g., personal flotation devices, emergency signals), and crew members are trained on how to access and use the equipment.
  • context Follow requirements and guidelines on vessel stability, including ensuring the crew is trained on and has access to relevant information and having stability assessments performed when required.

Falling overboard is a serious hazard. In addition, there are times when a person has to work suspended above the deck (aloft). When working on deck or aloft take the following precautions:

  • administrative Develop and implement a fall protection program and train workers.
  • requirement Use a lifeline when working aloft or when on deck during adverse weather conditions.
  • requirement Use a lifeline and safety belt when trap fishing.
  • requirement Wear fall protection if a person could fall about 3 metres (10 feet). Check with your jurisdiction for exact requirements.
  • requirement Make sure that no other gear you may be wearing will interfere with the self-inflating mechanism of the PFD.
  • requirement Make sure that the radar is turned off before you go aloft to avoid radiation exposure and prevent injury from a rotating scanner. Put a "Do Not Operate Radar - Persons Working Aloft" sign on the radar control panel to alert others that someone is working aloft.
  • requirement Attach safety lanyards to all tools and parts (e.g., secure your hammer to your wrist) to prevent items from dropping and injuring those below. Raise or lower your tools by using rigging and placing the tools in a safe container.
  • requirement Use a bosun's chair or similar device (a device with a rigid seat attached to a rope used to suspend a person to perform work) with appropriate safety harness and fall arresting gear. See the CCOHS Factsheets on fall protection for more information.

All workers should:

  • administrative Follow safe work procedures.
  • administrative Follow emergency and first aid procedures.
  • ppe Know when and how to use personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • administrative Know how to report a hazard.
  • requirement Know about WHMIS and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).
  • administrative Follow good housekeeping procedures.

// Hand tools

  1. 1 Clamps
  2. 2 Cutting Tools for Bolts, Cables, and Strapping
  3. 3 Gear Pullers
  4. 4 General Hand Tool Operation
  5. 5 Hammers
  6. 6 Hand Saw
  7. 7 Non-sparking tools
  8. 8 Pipe Tools - Wrenches, Cutters, Reamers, and Threaders
  9. 9 Pliers and Wire Cutters
  10. 10 Screwdrivers
  11. 11 Snips
  12. 12 Struck Tools
  13. 13 Vises
  14. 14 Wood Chisels
  15. 15 Wrenches

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Biological

Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.

Biological Food and Kitchen Hygiene
23 practices Open →

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Diseases, Disorders, Injuries

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Diseases, Disorders, Injuries Lyme Disease
18 practices Open →
Diseases, Disorders, Injuries West Nile Virus
10 practices Open →

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Lifting, pushing, pulling

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Lifting, pushing, pulling Pushing and Pulling - General
0 practices Open →

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Noise

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Noise Noise - Basic Information
4 practices Open →

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Radiation

Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.

Radiation Ultraviolet Radiation
2 practices Open →

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Shiftwork

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Shiftwork Extended Workday: Health and Safety Issues
10 practices Open →
Shiftwork Rotational Shiftwork
0 practices Open →

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Temperature

Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.

Temperature Humidex Rating and Work
0 practices Open →
Temperature Working on or near Ice Covered Water - Basic Information
10 practices Open →

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Violence / Bullying

Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.

Violence / Bullying Working Alone - General
0 practices Open →

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Weather

Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.

Weather Commercial Fishing
18 practices fall protection Open →
Weather Weather - Lightning
2 practices Open →
Commercial Fishing
HAS_ISSUE 30
HAS_REQUIREMENT 16
LINKS_TO 45
SOURCE_PAGE 1

2 broken or blocked links · 7 links resolved to a newer URL.

External pages 7

Fact sheets 28

Occupations 1

PDFs 1

Section indexes 8