A Study on the Effectiveness of Basic Safety Training for Coastal and Offshore Fishing Vessel

The incidence of occupational accidents (death and disappearance) in coastal and offshore fishing vessels during recent 5 years (2017-2021) was found to be 4.5 times higher than ocean-going fishing vessels. The study aims to propose policies that enhance safety training effectiveness for coastal and offshore fishers by analyzing the current training and supervision system. This analysis is intended to reduce marine accidents among coastal and offshore fishers. Problems of the training system identified from the findings are that of the application scope of those subject to the basic safety training (ratings) in [Table 5-5] of Enforcement Rule of the Seafarers Act and that of exemption from basic safety training pursuant to Remarks No. 4. Also, a problem of supervisory system was identified that domestic and foreign ratings in coastal and offshore fishing vessels failed to complete basic safety training due to the provision of official exemption. Hence, as methods for improvement thereof, this study proposed that the scope of those subject to basic safety training (fishing vessel ratings) be expanded to fishing vessels with gross tonnage of 20 tons or higher as in the Seafarers Act, and that the provision of exemption from basic safety training (ratings) in [Table 5-5] Remarks 4 of Enforcement Rule of the Seafarers Act be deleted. And as a method for the improvement of supervisory system, this study proposed that the provision of exemption from official approval of seafarers’ list for the ratings of coastal and offshore fishing vessels should be deleted as a way to secure executive power for basic safety training for domestic and foreign ratings of coastal and offshore fishing vessels.