Celebration of British Columbia's Fishing Industry focuses on Safety in new WorkSafe video

The history of safety issues in the
BC Fishery are highlighted in
a new video from WorkSafe BC

A new video from WorkSafe BC is serving two purposes this summer, the first a celebration of British Columbia's iconic fishing industry, along with a review of the dangers that fishing presented for those that worked the industry and how the decades have seen significant strides when it comes to the safety of its workers.

The presentation features a number of events from the North Coast as part of the narrative of the evolution of the industry.

From the work on the ocean to the hectic pace of the cannery life, the history of the industry provides a glimpse into some of the pressures and labour battles that have marked the nature of the fishery in BC as workers sought better working conditions.

Of particular note is the arrival of the herring fishery on the North Coast and the perils that fishing in the dangerous waters of Hecate Strait and other coastal areas in March presented for those that fished area waters, with 1975 considered one of the most dangerous months for casualties recorded.

The need for safety regulations and oversight on the industry gained strength from the string of fatalities that 1975 provided, setting the model for the safety procedures in place to this day.

The overview of the changes in the industry take us to the modern day and the current Fish Safe program that is in place in British Columbia to make conditions safer for industry workers.

You can review the thirteen minute video below.



More background on the WorkSafe BC initiative can be found here.

For more items related to the British Columbia fishery, with a focus on the North Coast see our Fishing Industry archive page here.