Maritime Safety Week: Get funding for your next fishing safety course

It’s Maritime Safety Week 2023 from 3-10 July. It’s an opportunity to talk about safety at sea and ensure it remains a priority for the fishing industry. 

We’re using this week to remind the fishing industry about some of the excellent resources available to make staying safe at sea easier. 

First up is information on funding currently available for experience skippers and fishing crew to do additional safety training. 

The importance of safety training 

Thanks to funding provided by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the four UK Fisheries Administrations, Seafish can fund a wide range of voluntary courses. This includes basic safety refreshers to Deck and Engineer Officer Certificates of Competency.  

Regular training is a great way for experienced fishermen to refresh or develop their safety knowledge and skills. Experienced fishermen who have completed their mandatory courses, can apply to us for funding to cover the cost of additional safety-related training. Not only will this help keep them safe when fishing, but it can also open-up other income-earning opportunities for them to supplement their income from fishing. It really is a win-win. There aren’t many industries where workers can get the cost of additional training fully funded.

Encouraging and supporting this kind of continuous professional development amongst fishermen is a key strand of the Fishing Industry Safety Group’s strategy to eliminate preventable accidents in the fishing industry by 2027. We are a partner of this group and we’re working alongside the MCA, the fishing federations, and the RNLI to deliver this strategy.  

It can be a challenge to fit training in around fishing activities, but we encourage fishermen to start planning some voluntary training now, whilst funding is available. Don’t leave it to the last minute before booking, as training providers get very busy during the autumn and winter.

Funding is also available for training new entrants. Whilst Seafish is not allowed to fund mandatory training, we can fund places on our voluntary 3-week Introduction to Commercial Fishing for those eager to join the fishing industry. 

Feedback from fishermen 

Mark Newlands is a relief skipper on the FV Chloe Ella, who reached out to us in 2019 for some financial support to do the Class 2 Deck Officer ticket to become a qualified skipper of a fishing vessel.

The funding we provided allowed Mark to be fully equipped with the necessary safety knowledge to become a qualified skipper. 

“The funding I have received through Seafish has transformed my career in the fishing industry. It gave me, an ordinary working fisherman, a level playing field, a chance to better myself and realise my ambition of becoming a skipper. 

“I cannot thank Seafish enough for the help I have received on making my dream possible and will always be eternally grateful."

Our funding is also a great way for young fishermen to increase their safety knowledge and practical skills when stepping into the industry for the first time.  

Cameron Day, a young fisherman, attended the Seafish 3 Week Introduction into Commercial Fishing Course, provided by East Coast Maritime Training, based in Withernsea, East Yorkshire. He stated that the training taught him a lot, but most importantly made sure he understands the jobs of everyone on board to help keep the crew safe. 

How to apply

Apply now! Download the application form Fishers Training Funding Application Form — Seafish or email training@seafish.co.uk and we will send the application form to you. Applications must be received and approved before undertaking training.  

Call us on 0131 380 4505 and select the option to speak to our Fishermen’s Training Team to discuss your needs and find a course and local training provider. Our network of Approved Training Providers specialise in fishermen’s training, but we can also fund training at MCA and RYA approve training centres if you prefer.  

Further information

More information on funding and the courses available are on our Funding for fishing safety training webpage.