Theoretical Perspectives on Fishing Vessel Accidents and Their Prevention.

Fishing vessel accidents occur because of complex interactions of human, technical, and environmental factors. Although they usually occur because of human actions, thoughts, or behavior, investigators and prevention educators are preoccupied with technical matters and equipment. Equipment, machinery, weather, and other objective facts are important, but these perspectives must be broadened. Accident investigators and prevention educators should ground their strategies in interpretivist, radical humanist, radical structuralist, and functionalist approaches. These different perspectives were used to analyze what happened during the loss of the Scotia Cape, a Canadian fishing vessel that sank. The Transportation Safety Board investigation has determined it probably rolled over and sank because of "free surface effect," which is important as a result, not a cause, of the accident. The cause resides in the unequal power relations between the company and crew and between the skipper and crew, in their "false consciousness," and in their subjectively derived notions of safety and risk. Prevention programs informed by interpretivist, radical humanist, radical structuralist, and functionalist perspectives would involve use of techniques that elicit and make use of the learner's background and experience. Because the fishing fleet is highly differentiated, content would be adapted to local circumstances. Prevention education processes would be participatory--involve fewer lectures and more active collaboration with learners. (60 references) (YLB)