RNLI Fishing Safety event to be held in Kilkeel
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have joined with the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA), the Fishermen’s Mission and Seafish, the group responsible for the promotion of the fishing industry, to hold a fishing safety event in Kilkeel, Co Down.
RNLI Fishing Safety Manager, Frankie Horne will lead the event which will involve a demonstration and discussion focused on safety in the fishing community. It will take an in-depth look at the areas where fishermen are being seriously injured or losing their lives fishing. This year has already seen fatalities in the industry.
The demonstration and talk will focus on the areas of stability, safety awareness and deck machinery. The RNLI have run a number of campaigns in the past aimed at fishermen. Last January the charity launched a hard-hitting campaign encouraging fishermen to make sure their boats kept them safe at sea.
RNLI Fishing Safety Manager Frankie Horne said, ‘I have been a fisherman for 37 years from cook, to deck hand to skipper/owner. I am also a volunteer lifeboat Coxswain at Peel RNLI on the Isle of Man. We are working with fishermen on how to make their industry safer. This starts with the fishermen themselves and with us listening to and addressing their concerns.’
‘We want the fishermen to help us solve the safety problems in the industry that lead to loss of life, or life-changing injuries. Fishing is still the most dangerous peace time occupation and we all have a collective responsibility to make fishing safer.’
The RNLI fishing safety films can be viewed at www.rnli.org/stability and www.rnli.org/deckmachinery
Ends
RNLI media contacts
For information please contact Niamh Stephenson RNLI Public Relations Manager on 00 353 1 8900 460 or 00 353 87 1254 124 email [email protected] or Nuala McAloon RNLI Press Officer Tel: 00 353 87 6483547 email [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.