The majority of vessels seem to be poorly equipped with safety 

 devices and navigation instruments. Although portable fire extin- 

 guishers were reported as being common equipment to almost all 

 insured vessels, according to the owner's response, only about 10 

 percent of insured vessels were equipped with a fixed fire extin- 

 guishing system in New England, 9 percent in the Gulf Area, and 

 66percent in California (tables A- 13 in Appendix A). Most insured 

 vessels reportedly were equipped with radio-telephone or radio- 

 transmitter, but only 20 percent were equipped with radar in New 

 England, 10 percent in California, and none in the Gulf Area 

 (tables A-12 in Appendix A.). 



According to the response of the interviewed owners, 90 

 percent of insured vessels in New England, 7^ percent in the Gulf 

 Area, and 9k percent in California were equipped with a well 

 stocked medicaJ. chest. This response, however, was not verified 

 with a physical inspection of the vessel. But even if it were 

 to be accepted at its face value, the question of what a well 

 stocked medical chest consists of still remains unanswered. 

 Furthermore, there is a great difference between the owner's 

 intent and whether he actually does replenish first aid supplies 

 on board his vessel frequently and regularly. New England 

 representatives of the Atlantic Fishermen' s Union point out that 

 failure to check and replenish the stock in the medical chest is 

 rather frequent on vessels not captained by the owner. 



The above limited information on the safety characteristics 

 of vessels is indicative only of the safety standards which pre- 

 vail among ccmraercial fishing vessels. There is no way of telling 

 to what extent lack of adequate safety standards have contributed 

 to the unprofitable loss experience of risk carriers of hull and 

 protection and indemnity insiirance . On the other hand, although a 

 program designed to improve physical safety standards may be 

 highly desirable, it may prove quite ineffective unless the hvmian 

 element is also seriously considered. 



3. The outstanding significance of the human element . The 

 best constructed and equipped vessel is as good a risk as the 

 people who man and operate it. Although somewhat dogmatic, this 

 statement hardly overemphasizes the paramount importance of the 

 human element as a decisive factor in the prevention and reduction 

 of the frequency emd severity of accidents. In a decided majority 

 of h\ill and protection and indemnity insurance accidents, the 

 humEin element underscores the physiceuL causes which may be present. 

 Human nature manifests itself in a variety of forms: from the 

 mildest type of ignorance and lack of knowledge, to inexcusable 

 negligence; from poor maintenance, to intentional destruction of 

 property and. complete disregard for the special occupational 

 hazards of fishing. This portion of the report covers some aspects 

 of human conduct which axe largely the result of ignorance and 

 negligence. Other aspects of human behavior related to poor 

 •meiintenance and moral hazard will be discussed in the next chapter. 



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