says. "Why should North CaroHna fishermen 

 be persecuted for what's happening else- 

 where?" 



Lewis says, "I haven't worked with anyone 

 who I thought would sue me. People here are 

 more interested in working than being paid for 

 sitting at home." 



Since many crew members in traditional 

 fishing communities such as Harkers Island, 

 Gloucester or Salter Path are family or neigh- 

 bors, the likelihood of a lawsuit resulting from 

 a injury may be reduced, says Sea Grant agent 

 Skip Kemp of Morehead City. 



But you can't count on that, says Tillett. He 

 knows because of a recent settlement. 



Whether or not North Carolina watermen 

 are a better risk, premiums are high, and 

 fishermen are wondering what can be done to 

 force them downward. 



Talk in some communities centers on band- 

 ing together to become self-insured as some of 

 their Northern and Pacific neighbors have 

 done. 



Vessel safety and maintenance requirements 

 for such groups would have to be stringent and 

 the initial premiums would show no reduction. 

 But for a group with a few or no claims, the 

 benefits could be lower premiums later. 



Although Tar Heel fishermen are willing to 

 undergo yearly inspections and provide better 

 safety training for their crews, they balk at the 

 group concept of self-insurance. 



"Fishermen here are hard to get together," 

 Tillett says of his Wanchese peers. 



Lewis and Willis say the same of Carteret 

 County watermen. But both believe the time 

 may have come for fishermen to surrender 

 some of their individualism. 



And Willis believes it may be time for the 

 state to step in and exert some control. 



"The state has authority over the Hcensed 

 vessels using its waters," he says. "Then the 

 state should regulate the insurance these vessels 

 must pay." 



Other fishermen are appealing to their con- 

 gressmen for changes in legislation that would 

 limit their liability. 



For now, possible remedies to the insurance 

 crisis are all talk. But that may soon change. 



The Sea Grant College Program network 

 and the National Council of Fishing Vessel 

 Safety and Insurance are sponsoring a national 

 workshop on insurance and safety in Washing- 

 ton, D.C., February 4-6. 



The workshop will provide a forum for 

 fishermen to discuss problems and possible 

 solutions to the crisis with insurance industry 

 experts, congressional staff members, 

 NCFVSI representatives and Sea Grant marine 

 advisory agents. 



NCFVSI has also recently provided $20,000 

 to study North Carolina fishermen's insurance 

 problems and needs. 



Photo by J. Foster Scott 



With the aid of the N.C. Fisheries Associa- 

 tion, the Walden Risk Management Group of 

 Chattanooga, Tenn., will survey fishermen, 

 says Joe McClees, association executive 

 director. 



The association is asking fishermen, seafood 

 dealers or anyone who has anything to do with 

 boats to call 919/249-2080. If fishermen will 

 leave their name and number, a Walden repre- 

 sentative will call them back and complete the 

 survey. 



McClees says the survey should provide 

 some insights into the insurance problem and 

 should point the association toward some pos- 

 sible solutions. 



But until then Lewis sums it up like this: 

 "Fishermen today are no better off than when 

 Jesus chose Peter. There are no more benefits." 



