Safety

“Fishermen go to sea to make a living but they have to live to go to sea”

In this section of our website you will find the links to documents to help answer questions about required Safety Equipment and helpful tips on keeping you, your crew and your vessel as safe as possible while at sea. Please note: these are just guidelines to follow based on Transport Canada and WorksafeNB regulations. Remember that the equipment and training are only useful if practiced and maintained on a regular basis.

This page is intended as a place to share existing resources, not as an all inclusive or complete reference to all Sections of Marine Safety Regulations. Captains of fishing vessels should consult with their local Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security office, the Transport Canada Website, their local WorkSafeNB office, or the WorkSafeNB website for more information. For any specific questions, please feel free to reach out to Fundy North, and we will do our best to put you in touch with the appropriate experts or find you an answer for you.

What is available on this page?

1) Safety Equipment Required Based on Vessel Size

2) On-Board Familiarisation and Training Checklist (for new crew, etc)

3) Emergency Drills - Transport Canada and WorkSafeNB versions

4) Crew Training - Transport Canada and WorkSafeNB requirements

SE Vessel Size

Safety Equipment Required Based on Vessel Size

These are the 2025 versions. They are shared from Fish Safe NS, and can be found on their website with other resources HERE.

For each vessel size, the image is included for quick reference, but beside each is a pdf you can download for use on your vessel or for reference.

More than 9m (29'6'') but not more than 12m (39'4'') Hull Length

More than 12m (39'4'') but not more than 15m (49'2'') Hull Length

More than 15m (49'2'') Hull Length

Under WorkSafeNB, Transport Canada approved PFDs are required to be worn when working on Fishing vessels at sea. Transport Canada approved PFDs will have "Approved by Transport Canada" and an approval number on the label. It should have "UL1180" or "CAN/GSB-65.11-M88"

The fact sheets below provide information on PDFs and maintenance.

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Orientation Checklists

On-Board Familiarisation and Training Checklist

This is for Orientation of a vessel and equipment for new crew, also found at www.fisheriessafety.ca/harvesting-safety.

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On-Board Familiarization and Training Checklist

This is a general safety checklist for vessels from WorkSafeNB, also found at https://www.worksafenb.ca/safety-topics/fishing/

WorkSafeNB Safety Checklist

Emergency Drills

It is regulated by Transport Canada that you have practiced emergency drills with your crew, and show this by:

Have printed drills on your vessel, that are customized to your vessel and crew
Your crew must be able to discuss the drills with an inspector to prove understanding
Have a record on board of emergency drills, including who participated, and dates performed

The following Transport Canada drills are available in word documents as well as images below so that you can custimize them as needed. The WorkSafeNB drills can also be used, provided you also make a note of any changes required for your vessel on your copy kept on board.

Please reach out to the office with any questions!

From Transport Canada

“If you own and operate small fishing vessels, the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and the new Fishing Vessel Safety Regulations require you to keep written safety procedures. To help you do this, Transport Canada has created operational and safety procedure templates you can download from https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/debs-fishing-vessels-small-menu-4526.html and adapt for your use”