Profession boatswain

Boatswains organise the crew on deck and at the fishing hold to execute the orders received from a superior. They coordinate the operations of maintenance, manoeuvres, assembly and repair of fishing gear and sorting, processing and preserving of the catches while observing the hygienic standards and established safety regulations.

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Personality Type

Knowledge

  • International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships

    The fundamental principals and requirements laid in the International Regulation for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL): Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil, Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk, prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form, Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships, Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships, Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships.

  • Fishing vessels

    Denomination of the different elements and equipment of fishing vessels.

  • Pollution prevention

    The processes used to prevent pollution: precautions to pollution of the environment, procedures to counter pollution and associated equipment, and possible measures to protect the environment.

  • Fisheries legislation

    The study and analysis of different fisheries management approaches taking into account international treaties and industry norms in order to analyze fisheries management regulations. 

  • International regulations for preventing collisions at sea

    Fundamental aspects of the international regulations to prevent collisions at sea, such as the conduct of vessels in sight of one another, navigation lights and markers, major light and accoustic signals, maritime signalling and buoys.

  • Fishing gear

    Identification of the different gear used in capture fisheries and their functional capacity.

  • Quality of fish products

    Factors affecting the quality of fish products. For instance, differences between species, impact of the fishing gears and parasite influence on the preservation of quality.

  • Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries

    Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the guidelines established for professional fishers.

  • Risks associated with undertaking fishing operations

    General risks occuring when working on fishing boats and specific risks occurring only in some fishing modalities. Prevention of threats and accidents.

Skills

  • Handle fish products

    Handle fish with care and hygiene required to maintain quality. Adequately prepare fish products for storage.

  • Handle cargo

    Manage safely the mechanical elements in the loading and unloading of cargo and stores. Stowing and unstowing of products following instructions.

  • Preserve fish products

    Place and classify fish products for proper conservation. Maintain suitable conditions for the conservation of fishery products.

  • Extinguish fires

    Choose the adequate substances and methods to extinguish fires depending on their size, such as water and various chemical agents. Use a breathing apparatus.

  • Apply fishing maneuvres

    Run shooting and hauling gear operations for its optimal performance, complying with the regulations for responsible fishing and with the security measures.

  • Use fishing vessel equipment

    Dispose fishing gear and ship's deck for successful extraction activities as directed by the superior. Run shooting and hauling gear operations for its optimal performance.

  • Participate in the organisation of emergency drills

    Participate in preparing and executing emergency drills. Take charge of on-scene response actions. Help ensure that written drill reports are logged properly. Make sure that all personnel adhere to pre-planned emergency procedures as carefully as possible in the event of an emergency situation.

  • Assist in ship maintenance

    Contribute to shipboard maintenance and repair using painting, lubrication and cleaning materials and equipment. Execute routine maintenance and repair procedures. Dispose safely waste materials. Apply, maintain and use hand and power tools.

  • Support vessel manoeuvres

    Participate in manoeuvres at port: berthing, anchoring and other mooring operations. Contribute to a safe navigational watch.

  • Prepare fishing equipment

    Dispose fishing gear and ship's deck for successful extraction activities. Coordinate the crew in this operation.

  • Maintain safe navigation watches

    Observe principles in keeping a navigation watch. Take over, accept and pass on a watch. Steer the vessel and perform routine duties undertaken during a watch. Observe safety and emergency procedures. Observe safety precautions during a watch and take immediate actions in the event of fire or accident.

  • Operate vessel critical systems

    Operate vessel critical systems such as electronic navigation aids, steering, de-watering, safety apparatus. Carry out captain's orders.

  • Operate ship equipment

    Operate ship equipment such as engines and generators, winches, and HVAC systems. Assume responsibility for all exterior equipment, as well as some interior. Ensure that deck equipment is operated safely.

  • Swim

    Move through water by means of the limbs.

  • Coordinate the ship crew

    Coordinate the daily activities of the crew. Ensure that each member of the deck department understands and performs his/her assigned duties adequately. Assist the captain with training and orientation of new crew. Coordinate line-handling during manoeuvres. Monitor deck maintenance and safety. Plan each day's work to achieve the most from each deck crewmember.

  • Provide training

    Provide training and orientation to new team members, or assign this task to an appropriately experienced team member.

  • Coordinate fish handling operations

    Organise fish handling operations to avoid fish products deterioration. Check the cleanliness of the deck and fishing hole before loading and manipulation. Control that the fishes are headless, gutted, washed and sorted. Perform operations taking into account health hygiene regulations.

  • Stand watch on vessel

    Stand watch in ships' bows, sterns, or bridge wings. Look out for obstructions in the ship's path and locate navigational aids such as buoys. Determine geographical position of the ship, using all available means such as GPS, radar ranges, visual observations and depth sounders. Perform navigational watches while underway, and safety watches, anchor watches and dock watches at other times as deemed prudent by the Captain, in accordance with normal bridge management procedures.

  • Survive at sea in the event of ship abandonment

    Identify muster signals and what emergencies they signal. Comply with established procedures. Don and use a lifejacket or an immersion suit. Safely jump into the water from a height. Swim and right an inverted liferaft while wearing a swim while wearing a lifejacket. Keep afloat without a lifejacket. Board a survival craft from the ship, or from the water while wearing a lifejacket. Take initial actions on boarding survival craft to enhance chance of survival. Stream a drogue or sea-anchor. Operate survival craft equipment. Operate location devices, including radio equipment.

Optional knowledge and skills

communicate using the global maritime distress and safety system fisheries management prepare inventory reports global maritime distress and safety system evaluate schools of fish assessment of risks and threats use maritime english report to captain

Source: Sisyphus ODB