FishSafe BC
PICFI has contracted Fish Safe to deliver the following safety education and training programs. These programs are available to all CFEs approved by the PICFI program.
Fish Safe Programs, Courses & Workshop Summary
Small Domestic Vessel Basic Safety (SDV-BS) Course Formerly Marine Emergency Duties A3 (MED-A3)
This one day course provides a Transport Canada certificate which is required for anyone looking to go commercial fishing, commercial guiding, or working on vessels such as water taxis, whale watching and eco-tourism. You will learn to use all the emergency equipment that you might find on these vessels and also how to deal with all the emergencies that you may encounter at sea.
Small Vessel Operator Proficiency (SVOP) Course
The SVOP course is a four day course which will provide a Transport Canada certificate which is required to operate a small commercial fishing vessel, (up to 15 GT) a commercial workboat (less than 5 GT or less than 8 meters) or a commercial passenger vessel (less than 5 GT and up to 12 passengers) such as water taxis and eco-tourism, on the BC coast.
Navigation, Chartwork, Weather, Electronics, Vessel Handling, and the Buoyage System are just some of the topics to be covered in this course.
Restricted Operator Certificate—Maritime (ROC-M) Course
This one day course provides an Industry Canada ROC-M certificate which is a requirement for everyone who will be using a Martine VHF radio on board a vessel. It is essential that everyone understands emergency radio procedures and this course will provide the knowledge to operate a radio in both an emergency situation and for everyday use. You will learn the phonetic alphabet, procedural words and phrases, as well as how to use the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) function on these radios.
Safest Catch Program
This one day program provides the owner and crew of a fishing vessel all the tools needed to ensure they are safe at sea and also that they are prepared in an emergency. This program takes place on the vessel and training is provided by fishermen Safety Advisors who will help organize the crews’ on board safety procedures as well as help understand how to use all the safety equipment on the vessel and then help put together an emergency plan in the event of an emergency at sea. The program will also see the crew practice this plan in the form of emergency drills all done on the vessel. Each vessel will be provided tools for documenting these actions which will help ensure a level of compliance with Transport Canada and WorkSafeBC regulations should they be inspected at sea.
Stability Education Course
This four day course helps fishermen understand what is needed to comply with Transport Canada and WorkSafeBC requirements while also helping commercial fishermen understand the stability characteristics of their vessel, and develop procedures to minimize or remove potential threats to stability. The Fish Safe Stability Education course has been designed and implemented to help fishermen meet these requirements. The concepts and practical application developed by fishermen in the Fish Safe Stability Education course apply to all fishermen, vessel size, and gear type.
Stability Education Workshop
This one day workshop is highly recommended for those travelling within 2 nautical miles from shore. The workshop focuses on teaching the fundamentals of vessel stability and how to minimize your vessels stability threats. Lots of hands on demonstrations are included with this workshop.
Knots and Lines Workshop
This one day workshop provides an overview of the different types of knots and lines that are commonly used on all fishing vessels and the safe handling of lines in general. This workshop is great for new fishermen entering the industry although would also serve as the perfect refresher for others. Lots of hands on demonstrations are included with this workshop and opportunities to practice, practice, practice! At that end of the workshop, you’ll understand basic knots used on fishing vessels and have a good understanding of how to safely tie up a vessel.
Transport Canada Orange Decal Workshop
The Transport Canada’s Orange Decal program is a voluntary program in which vessel owners and operators under 15 gross tons complete a checklist about the vessel’s safety equipment to ensure that they meet regulatory requirements. If the vessel satisfies all the requirements, they will be awarded with a Transport Canada Orange Decal. This decal is good for five years and should keep inspectors away and provide owners a piece of mind that the boat they own/leased/loaned is Transport Canada compliant.
Fish Safe is now offering assistance with completing the compliance checklist. We will send an Advisor to work with vessel owners or representatives of the owner to provide guidance and feedback. At the end of this workshop, you’ll be eligible for an Orange Decal or have a clearer understanding of what is needed to be Transport Canada compliant.
