Profession fisheries boatmaster

Fisheries boatmasters operate fishing vessels in coastal waters performing operations at the deck and engine. They control the navigation as well as capture and conservation of fish within the established boundaries in compliance with national and international regulations.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Realistic
• Realistic / Enterprising

Knowledge

• Fisheries management

  The principles, methods and equipment used in population management applied to fisheries: the concept of catch, by-catch, fishing effort, maximum sustainable yield, different sampling methods and how to use sampling material.

• 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.

• Assessment of risks and threats

  The security documentation and any security-related communications and information.

• Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

  The internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, types of equipment and communication protocols used to increase safety and make it easier to rescue distressed ships, boats and aircraft.

• 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. 

• Deterioration of fish products

  Process of decomposition and spoilage of fish products: physical, enzymatic, microbiological and chemical processes occurring after harvesting.

• 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.

• Fishing gear

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

• Fishing vessels

  Denomination of the different elements and equipment of fishing vessels.

• Maritime meteorology

  The scientific field of study that interprets meteorological information and applies it to ensure the safety of marine traffic.

• Vessel safety equipment

  Gain theoretical and practical knowledge of safety equipment used in vessels, including devices such as lifeboats, life rings, splash doors and fire doors, sprinkler systems, etc. Operate equipment during emergency situations.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Skills

• Swim

  Move through water by means of the limbs.

• 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.

• 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.

• Work in outdoor conditions

  Can cope with the different climate conditions such as heat, rain, cold or in strong wind.

• Ensure vessel compliance with regulations

  Inspect vessels, vessel components, and equipment; ensure compliance with standards and specifications.

• Undertake navigation safety actions

  Recognise unsafe situations and perform follow-up actions according to the safety regulations. Immediately warn ship management. Use personal protective and rescue equipment.

• Evaluate schools of fish

  Interprete the information provided by electronic equipment and other aid to fisheries to evaluate the characteristics of a school of fish.

• Manage ship emergency plans

  Organize and manage emergency operations, flooding, abandoning ship, survival at sea, search and rescue of shipwrecked, according to the ship's emergency plans, to ensure the safety

• Conduct water navigation

  Ensure that a vessel carries up to date and adequate charts and appropriate nautical documents. Lead the process of preparing the voyage report, the vessel passage plan, daily position reports, and the pilot's information sheet.

• Support vessel manoeuvres

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

• Communicate using the global maritime distress and safety system

  Send an alert in case of distress, using any of the various GMDSS radio systems such that the alert has a very high probability of being received by either shore rescue authorities and/or other vessels in the area.

• Preserve fish products

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

• Provide first aid

  Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.

• Estimate fishery status

  Recognise the basic biological data to estimate the status of a fishery. Recognise the captured species by simple ocular observation and compare the amount and size of catches to those of previous periods.

• Schedule fishing

  Organise effective fishing manoeuvres taking into account the meteorological conditions and the extractive system.

• Recognise abnormalities on board

  Identify anomalies and abnormalities on board, evaluate them, and take appropriate actions to restore normal operation of ship. Check all (safety) systems for operational functions. Organise actions to be taken in the event of an identified problem.

• Assess trim of vessels

  Assess the trim stability of vessels, referring to the stability of a vessel while it is in a static condition.

• Provide on-board safety training

  Develop and implement on-board safety training programmes.

• Prevent sea pollution

  Organize and monitor environment protection applying the regulations for pollution prevention at sea.

• Secure cargo in stowage

  Secure cargo stowage with basic knowledge of stowing methods; ensure efficient and safe transport of goods.

• Operate ship rescue machinery

  Operate rescue boats and survival craft. Launch the boats as required and operate their equipment. Take care of survivors and survival craft after abandoning ship. Use electronic devices to track and communicate location, including communications and signalling apparatus and pyrotechnics.

• Operate ship propulsion system

  Perform start-up and subsequent observation of the working parameters of the ship's propulsion system. Check the operating parameters of electric generators in the switchboard, power sources and electrical and electronic equipment and navigation lights. Verify that the operating parameters of pneumatic and hydraulic systems are within the values. Perform simple maintenance procedures, repair and replacement of damaged items.

• Manage cargo handling

  Manage safely the mechanical elements in the loading and unloading of cargo and stores. Organize stowing and unstowing of products to guarantee the stability of the vessel.

• Provide training

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

• Assess stability of vessels

  Assess the two kinds of stability of vessels, namely transversal and longitudinal.

• Prepare and execute regular safety exercises

  Plan and perform regular safety exercises; maximise safety in potentially dangerous situations.

• Coordinate fire fighting

  Organize and direct the operations of fire fighting, according to the ship's emergency plans to ensure safety.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 water navigation devices

  Utilise water navigation devices, e.g. compass or sextant, or navigational aids such as lighthouses or buoys, radar, satellite, and computer systems, in order to navigate vessels on waterways. Work with recent charts/maps, notices, and publications in order to determine the precise position of a vessel.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB