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• 55 Amp Alternator. • Aluminum Oil Pan.
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MerCruiser Blue Water inboards are available with 230, 260 and 340 Hp.
SAR chief calls for action on EPIRBS
It's not just good sense to equip a fishing vessel with an EPIRB, says Coast Guard Search and Rescue co-ordinator John Stevens, "it's the only thing to do."
Effective May, 1988, an EPIRB will be mandatory on all vessels in Canada over 15 tons displacement, but fishermen should acquire an EPIRB now, Stevens said, to avoid more tragedies like those that struck the crew of the Scotia Cape.
The Fishing Industry Safety and Health committee has unan-
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MERCURY MARINE LIMITED BOX 488, MISSISSAUGA, ONT. L5A 3A3
• EPIRBS come in several different models.
imously voted to demand mandatory EPIRBs on all fishing vessels.
But Department of Transport regulations to become effective next year will require an EPIRB only on all vessels greater than 12 meters or displacing more than 15 tons. They also will be mandatory on all vessels carrying passengers.
The EPIRBs to be covered under the new DOT program will transmit encoded signals to satellites. The signal will not only
give a precise location but also the name of the vessel in distress In discussions with UFAWU representatives in Ottawa March 5, Coast Guard officials said it would be impossible to extend the new regulations to more vessels or to move the date forward for mandatory use.
Wyllie Stewart said the department still is determining the standards to be used in manufacturing the EPIRBS, which will transmit on an internationally' accepted frequency of 406 megahertz.
These 406 EPIRBs are not now available in Canada, Ste«'-art said, but will be more effective than existing models because satellite fixes will be performed more quickly and accurately.
To implement the 406 system-a special computer system must be installed to feed satellite information to search and rescue centres.
Until this system is working effectively for vessels over l5 tons, the department has no plans to extend it to the rest ot the fleet.
In the meantime, says Stevens, it is simple common sense to purchase the available l2j> megahertz EPIRBs, which will be acceptable to many years.
The 125 beacons do not have a vessel identification signal and require two satellite passes to establish an accurate location fix, he said. Fishermen should not consider VHF EPIRBs' which can only be detected on Channels 15 or 16 on the surface-VHF devices are due to be phased out. , Stewart said it would be idea' if all vessels were equipped wit11 EPIRBs, but such regulations are not being considered at this time.
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North moves , on safety
On the heels of a convention decision to set-up a union safety department, the Prince RuperC shoreworkers have struck a health and safety committee.
"There are many issues facing workers on this front and need to develop programs to dea with them," said UFAWU nortn-ern representative Jim Rushton-"With this committee we can work to raising the profile\0 health and safety in all the nortn' ern plants."
The committee was appr°ve<j at the March 10 meeting of Lofi* 31, the large shoreworker local m the north.
Its mandate will include hold' ing regular meetings so worker from different plants can won4 out joint solutions to the ProD' lems they face.
"Workers in different pl»n£ share many of the same Pr°D lems," said Rushton.
Members of the commit^ include Louis Lussiey, Ba.rV Hale, Shirley Polsen, Ra1^ White, Fran Brown and Arnol" Nagy.
The committee will also c° ordinate with the UFAWU s Standing Committee on Occup3' tional Health and Safety.
specializing in fishing gear
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• Longline and branchline assemblies.
8 • THE FISHERMAN / MARCH 25, 1987
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