Boat on the sea
Published on:

by

In the space of three days, the WA Coast Guard recently terminated the voyages of two fishing vessels: The FV DAYBREAK in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and a state-registered fishing vessel near Anacortes.

The F/V DAYBREAK lacked a life raft, visual distress signals, and enough survival suits. The Coast Guard escorted the vessel to Neah Bay. The vessel near Anacortes lacked a sound producing device, enough life jackets, and a current fishing vessel inspection. The boat was escorted to Anacortes.

“It’s imperative for mariners to have crucial safety equipment on board,” said Dan Hardin, 13th Coast Guard District/Pacific Northwest commercial fishing vessel safety coordinator. “The chances of survival are immediately lessened when this vital gear is either not on board or inoperable.”

Continue reading
Published on:

by

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its “Safer Seas 2014: Lessons Learned from Marine Accident Investigations” report on April 1, 2015. 23 major marine accidents from many U.S. maritime regions are summarized and lessons are analyzed from each accident.

Issues in the 43-page report focus on understanding vessel control systems, passenger safety during critical maneuvers, vessel maintenance, and crew training.

Safer Seas 2014 is available on the NTSB website at:

Continue reading
Published on:

by

On March 14, 2015, a crew member on the 65′, 1000 horsepower tugboat SEA BEAR radioed for help on its way back home from the Fire Island area to New York and said the ship was taking on water and sinking. When the Long Island Coast Guard boat crew sped to the scene about one mile south of Fire Island, they found a debris field with three men in survival suits clustered together. The survivors were treated for hypothermia and taken to a hospital. A Good Samaritan tugboat that had responded to the urgent marine information broadcast (UMIB) found the dead fourth crewmember.

Water temperature at the time was reported to be about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the deceased,” said Capt. Edward Cubanski, commander Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound. “I also applaud our dedicated and professional search and rescue crews, our port partners, local EMS, and police who responded on scene and ashore.”

Continue reading
Published on:

by

Sean O’Callahan, 29, was found deceased in his bunk aboard the F/V ALASKA DREAM as it headed out to fishing grounds off of Kodiak Island on February 28, 2015. The boat turned around when O’Callahan’s body was found, and Alaska State Troopers were notified of his death. Although nothing has been called suspicious, his remains were sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office in Anchorage for autopsy. The cause of death is still unknown.

According to Alaska Native News, O’Callahan, a resident of Florida, had fished in Alaska halibut, cod, salmon and crab fisheries.

His next of kin has been notified. They’ve announced that some of his ashes will be scattered at the Harbor Pier in Kodiak, and the rest will be scattered in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

Published on:

by

Crew on the 35-foot F/V ALASKA PRIDE radioed the Coast Guard at 4:30 am on March 12, 2015 after the boat began taking on water in Izhut Bay near Kodiak, Alaska. The boat’s pumps were not able to keep up with the flooding caused by a possible puncture in the bow. A Kodiak Jayhawk helicopter crew flew to the vessel and delivered a dewatering pump to the four crewmembers. The Coast Guard communicated with the ALASKA PRIDE crew every fifteen minutes as the Good Samaritan vessel ROSELLA escorted them back to Kodiak for repairs. No injuries were reported.

“The capability of our aircrews to transport dewatering pumps to vessels at sea can often prevent a small problem from turning into a life-or-death situation,” said Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Yates, watchstander, Sector Anchorage. “Mariners should always be proactive and notify the Coast Guard immediately if an emergency occurs.”

Weather on scene was reported as 5-foot seas and 17 mph winds with temperatures in the teens.

Published on:

by

The cover photo of Coast Guard Safety Alerts 1996-2014 is chilling: A large ship is awash in ocean water and is about to sink. The report is a compilation of safety alerts on a myriad of maritime safety issues such as “Attention on Deck! Commercial Fishing Vessels,” “Unprepared Safety Equipment,” “Bow Riding in Heavy Weather,” “Watertight Doors: Close Them and Dog Them,” and many more. Read, apply, and keep a safe ship for all.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg545/alerts/96_14SA.pdf

Published on:

by

Commercial Dungeness crab fishermen on the Washington and Oregon Coast earned $3.10/pound at the beginning of the season in December 2014. By Christmas they received $4.50/pound, and by the middle of February 2015, prices jumped to $9/pound. Why the nearly three times price increase?

One reason is this year’s harvest is down but demand is still high. According to Hugh Link, executive director for the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, last year Oregon fishermen caught 14 million pounds by the middle of February; this year they caught 7 million pounds. The Chinook Observer reported that this year Washington caught 6.2 million pounds by February 5. The quality of crabs has been the best in years, but there aren’t that many of them.

Crab is served more often at holiday parties and dinners during Christmas and New Year’s, so demand is higher. China’s New Year was February 19 and their crab demand was very high. Demand coupled with crab scarcity equals high payment to crab fishermen.

Continue reading
Published on:

by

In the early morning of February 16, the Alaska Coast Guard received a 406 Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alert from the 81-foot Fish Tender SAVANNAH RAY. Coast Guard watchstanders made callouts asking if the vessel needed assistance and received a broken MAYDAY from the crew. The vessel had run aground in Chiniak Bay near Kodiak, Alaska, and the four fishermen on board had donned their survival suits and deployed the life raft. A Jayhawk Kodiak helicopter crew flew to the grounded tender, safely hoisted the four fishermen, and flew them to emergency medical services in Kodiak. The weather at the time of the rescue was reported as 51 mph winds with 11-foot seas.

“This rescue highlights how critical it is to have a registered 406 EPIRB onboard when operating a vessel of any size,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Andrew Sheean, watchstander, Sector Anchorage. “During an emergency, especially in the cold waters of Alaska, it’s important for responders to immediately know that an event has occurred and the location of your vessel.”

On July 26, 2013, SAVANNAH RAY grounded in Bainbridge Passage in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The tender floated off the rocks on the incoming tide.

Published on:

by

Crew from the 285′ Factory Trawler AMERICAN TRIUMPH called the Coast Guard on February 12 to report that a 36-year old man had two of his fingers severed by a steel door. A Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter crew in Cold Bay flew approximately 92 miles north to the trawler, safely medevaced the man, and flew him back to Cold Bay for emergency medical services.

AMERICAN TRIUMPH is owned by American Seafoods Company. According to the company’s website, the trawler is currently catching and processing pollack, hake, and sole.

Contact Information
Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC Seattle, Washington
4039 21st Ave W. #401
Seattle, WA 98199
Phone: 206-282-3100 Toll Free: 877-332-5529 Fax: 206-282-1149
Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC Anchorage, Alaska
205 E Benson Blvd #321
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907-751-2588 Toll Free: 877-332-5529

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail. The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Copyright © 2025, Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC
JUSTIA Law Firm Blog Design