iFish6

In this double panel session (3.0 hours total), researchers from various coastal regions will discuss progress on PFD adoption since the last panel, as well as their efforts to increase the use of personal flotation devices (PFDs) in commercial fishing populations currently. Falls overboard and vessel sinkings have been the primary cause of commercial fishing deaths since humans have taken to the water to harvest fish. Although PFD designs have greatly improved over the past decade, regular use of these life-saving devices by the commercial fishing population, have remained frustratingly low. Panelists will address the following questions in their presentations: • PFD Intervention Objective and Target Population • Research Methods-if applicable • Barriers to Adoption • Motivators to Adoption • Intervention Approach o Intervention Framework o Efforts to Address Barriers o Efforts to Provide Motivators • Stakeholder Engagement • Three key observations which are vitally important to increasing PFD use. Following each 15 minute presentation (2 hours total with a 15 minute break halfway through the session), presenters and those in attendance will be asked to use the last 45 minutes of this session to collectively brainstorm five collective action steps for commercial fishing safety researchers and industry groups to address in the next year. These action steps will focus on advancing PFD adoption in commercial fishing sectors and could include: developing better PFD designs, developing improved PFD distribution channels, bridging gaps in behavior change research, developing better methods for objectively tracking PFD use or finding opportunities for industry and health and safety researchers to regularly interact and collectively address barriers to change.

*This is a two-part session, the second of which takes place after a short break at 11:00.