Improving Crew Overboard Recovery for Commercial Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico

Occupational fatality rates in the commercial fishing industry in the United States remain more than 20 times higher than the national average. The burden of commercial fishing fatalities due to unintentional falls overboard is highest in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) shrimp fishery. The objective of this quasi-experimental, pre-/post-test project design was disseminating recovery slings to GOM captains/deckhands, training in their use, and assessing the attitudes, beliefs, and intentions of fishermen in their adoption. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a land-based simulation was used to train commercial fishermen at three port locations in use of crew overboard (COB) recovery slings. A survey was developed to assess the attitudes, beliefs, and intentions of commercial fishermen in COB recovery. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit 30-50 fishermen at each location. Following pre-/post-training surveys, fishermen received one recovery sling per vessel along with a task list of instructions for use of the sling. A third survey and task list questions were performed at 12-18 months. There were 119 recovery slings and training in their use provided to 123 commercial shrimp fishing vessel owners/captains and deckhands along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. Repeated measures analysis of variance of the three surveys showed that positive change in normative beliefs was significant for the importance of quickly and safely maneuvering the vessel to the crew member. This change was most significant over the period from the initial training and receipt of the recovery sling by the vessel captain/deckhand, to the time of follow-up 12-18 months later (p = .03). Regarding control beliefs, training was associated with immediate statistically significant improved confidence that, with assistance, the fisherman would be able to use the sling and other equipment to hoist the COB (p = .02). However, this confidence waned significantly over time (p = .03). Attitudes and beliefs of commercial fishermen in the GOM can be favorably influenced toward a COB recovery device, as well as their confidence, and intention to use such devices. However, results show that attitudes and beliefs may wane over time, emphasizing the importance of repeated training and survival drills in this industry.