First Minister Alex Salmond urged Scotland’s fishermen to stay safe on the seas as he officially unveiled the first of 5,000 bespoke life-jackets during a visit to Anstruther Harbour.
The new flotation devices are the first to be designed specifically for the fishing industry and have been produced as part of a £438,000 life-saving safety project.
The First Minister inspected the prototype personal flotation device that will be given free to every commercial fisherman in Scotland.
Mr Salmond said: “Scotland’s fishing heritage is extremely rich and for generations, the industry has worked on the seas around our coast providing a cornerstone of employment in dozens of communities the length of the country.
“As part of a modern, forward-thinking sector, it is vital that fishermen adhere to the highest standards of safety, to ensure that those who brave the often very dangerous conditions on Scotland’s seas are able to return home to their loved ones at the end of their trip.
“Working in the fishing industry inevitably carries risks, and that is why this pioneering life-jacket initiative I am supporting today is so important.
“By encouraging our fishermen to think about health and safety during their work and wear life-saving equipment such as these new devices, we can reduce the tragic accidents that unfortunately do still happen while out on the seas.”
The new devices, which are smaller and lighter than normal life jackets devices went down well with fishermen in Anstruther as sitting high on the chest they are less restrictive on fishermen while working.
Michael Bruce, coxswain of the Anstruther RNLI said: “The flotation device is a great piece of kit.
“They work fantastically and are much more comfortable. There were a lot of problems before with people getting sore necks because of the material and weight of life jackets but these are much better and easier to put on.”
The initiative, led by the Scottish Fisherman’s Federation, was launched earlier this year to encourage fishermen to wear personal flotation devices and raise awareness of the importance of safety in the industry.
It is funded by £306,000 from the Scottish Government and European Fisheries Fund and £132,000 from the federation via the Scottish Fisherman’s Trust and the UK Fisheries Offshore Oil and Gas Trust Fund.
Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the federation, said: “The fishermen that put the seafood on our tables work in an inherently challenging environment.
“We are committed to improving safety at sea and this is why we are pushing forward this initiative that will encourage fishermen to wear personal flotation devices while working on open deck.
“Our other desire is to raise the overall awareness and instigate a discussion of the importance of safety within the industry.”
Fishermen can apply for a free device through the SFF website www.sff.co.uk.