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Published on: January 9, 2024

Air Circulation Implemented on Genius Star XI after Cargo Fire

On January 5^th, 2024, the Salvage Marine Firefighting team executed an air circulation procedure endorsed by the Unified Command after the Genius Star XI, a 410-foot general cargo ship reported a fire on December 30th, 2023. The primary aim of this initiative was to enhance the airflow within the cargo holds of the vessel. Currently anchored in Broad Bay, near Dutch Harbor, Alaska, there are concerns about reignition of the fire. A one-mile safety zone has been set up around the vessel, and mariners wishing to enter the zone must request permission via VHF Channel 16.

In addition to air circulation implementation, agencies are executing on-site and onshore air monitoring. Both the vessel and the Unalaska community have maintained normal air quality thus far. Continuous air monitoring will continue as external air is gradually circulated through the cargo holds.

Emergency personnel effectively removed all depleted CO2 bottles from the vessel for refilling and reinstatement. Once refilled, these bottles will be loaded back onto the vessel to comply with the fire suppression system mandated by the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea regulations.

Published on: April 26, 2022

U.S. Coast Guard Releases Ice Accretion Study

by Joseph Stacey

The loss of the F/V SCANDIES ROSE on New Year’s Eve 2019 was the deadliest accidents since the 2017 capsizing of the F/V DESTINATION, in which all six crew members tragically died. The lawyers at Stacey and Jacobsen, PLLC understand firsthand how devastating these accidents are to those experiencing the loss of loved ones, as we represented the families and survivors in both heartbreaking cases.

These tragic sinkings and capsizing accidents are not altogether isolated. It is imperative for the safety of the industry that we better understand how ice accumulates on pot cages, netting, and the parts within each pot.

In December 2020, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation requested that the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) study the icing factors that were involved in the loss of the F/V SCANDIES ROSE as well as the loss of the F/V DESTINATION. The U.S. Coast Guard recently released the results of this long awaited study regarding the ice accretion and ice accumulation on fishing gear. The study and experiments specifically focused on ice accretion and ice accumulation on the crab and cod pots used in the icy waters of the Alaskan Bering Sea.

Published on: April 23, 2019

Abandoned Fishing Nets as Swimwear, Carpets, and More

by Joseph Stacey

It is estimated that our oceans hold 640,000 tons of discarded fishing gear. This “Ghost Gear” refers to any fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost, or discarded, often due to severe weather and other circumstances. Old nylon nets often end up in landfills, but more likely end up in our oceans where large sea creatures such as dolphins, sea lions, whales, and sea turtles can get tangled. According to a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 if we continue to discard plastics, nets, and gear at this rate.

Under the Healthy Seas initiative, organizations and companies are working together to come up with innovative ways to recycle this cast-off plastic and nylon material to create usable and sustainable apparel, soft goods, and building materials.

Aquafil is an Italian based textile company that recently opened its first U.S. based recycling facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Old carpets and fishing nets are broken down into nylon that is then shipped to their Slovenian processing facility. Through a process called ‘Depolymerisation’, the Italian firm turns salvaged and collected fishing nets into a unique yarn that can be used to make consumer goods.

Published on: January 24, 2017

Washington Supreme Court to Decide If Injured Seamen May Recover Punitive Damages for a General Maritime “Vessel Unseaworthiness” Claim

by Joseph Stacey

Allan Tabingo was injured at sea due to defective machinery on his employer’s fishing vessel. A hydraulic lever controlling a fish hatch had been defective for two years. When the hatch operator tried to activate the hydraulic lever to stop the hatch from closing, the handle on the lever popped out of the valve. The hatch could not be stopped. The result was a traumatic hand injury and the loss of a father’s livelihood. The accident could have been prevented had American Seafoods simply repaired the handle when it was found to be defective two years earlier.

On January 17, 2017, lawyers in the case of Allan Tabingo vs. American Triumph LLC argued in the Washington State Supreme Court the question of whether an injured seaman may recover punitive damages when injured on an unseaworthy vessel? You can view the arguments here. Originally denied at the trial court, this case was chosen for a fast track (“interlocutory”) appeal and sent to the Washington State Supreme Court due to the importance of this issue for injured fishermen and seamen.

The Jones Act and Maritime Law already provide for Compensatory Damages. An injured seaman may recover a monetary amount necessary to replace what was lost due to his/her injury. Compensatory Damages usually cover:

Published on: February 2, 2016

SARA JO Wreckage Possible Hazard to Navigation

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

Friday, The United States Coast Guard placed limitations on the movement of deep draft vessels across the Coos Bay Harbor entrance. The action came following the capsizing of the SARA JO on the Coos bay bar last week. One crewman died in the sinking of the 49 foot SARA JO, and two men are reported injured. The Coast Guard has cautioned all vessels navigating in the Coos Bay bar area to keep a sharp lookout for possible wreckage and debris. The cause of the SARA JO loss is under investigation by the Coast Guard.

Published on: September 24, 2010

The Most Dangerous Jobs in America

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

The Bureau of Labor Statistics issued a new report last month calculating and ranking the most dangerous jobs in the United States; the top three are fishermen, loggers, and aircraft pilots. In 2009, “fishers and related fishing workers” died as a result of injuries at their workplace at a rate of 200 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, which is 60 times greater than the average American workforce, 3.3 deaths per 100,000. In a distant second and third, the fatality rate for loggers was 61.8 per 100,000 and 57.1 per 100,000 for aircraft pilots.
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Published on: September 16, 2010

Crab Boat Catches Fire at Seattle Port

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

The ARCTIC DAWN caught fire while moored in Ballard early Monday morning. The 100 foot Alaska crab boat had been previously featured on the Deadliest Catch television series. One crewman was aboard the vessel at the time and was able to escape the fire without injury. Nearly one hundred firemen responded to the three alarm fire. The fire involved the superstructure of the vessel but did not appear to affect the lower decks. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

Published on: July 13, 2010

Four Saved After Alaska Fishing Boat Burns and Sinks

by Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC

Four crewmen have been rescued after their Alaska fishing boat caught fire on Sunday. The 52-foot longliner NAKAT from Kodiak caught fire about 80 miles southwest of Kodiak. The crew was unable to issue a mayday message before abandoning ship into the vessel’s life raft. The Coast Guard was alerted to the accident after receiving an EPIRB message from the vessel and immediately dispatched a rescue helicopter. The crew was located several miles away from the burning vessel and hoisted to safety. The cause of the fire is under investigation. This case again demonstrates the importance of the EPIRB and the role it plays in saving fishermen’s lives in Alaska.