A new €2.16 million national sea survival training pool, which will enhance safety at sea for thousands of Irish fishermen and women, was opened today by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, TD.
The state-of-the-art pool, based at the Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) National Fisheries College of Ireland (NFCI) in Greencastle, Co. Donegal, will provide high quality sea survival training for those working in the fishing industry around Ireland.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine investment of €2.16 million means BIM will now be able to deliver more sea survival training courses to students on-site, ensuring additional people working in the seafood sector will have access to these safety training courses.
The 12-metre pool is equipped with modern training equipment, and can simulate sea conditions, such as cold, dark water, wind and rain.
A life raft is launched at the sea survival pool drills during the launch of BIM’s new 12 metre Sea Survival Training Pool at the National Fisheries College in Greencastle, Co. Donegal.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, and Caroline Bocquel, CEO, BIM, at the launch of BIM’s new 12 metre Sea Survival Training Pool at the National Fisheries College in Greencastle, Co. Donegal.
Officially opening the facility, Minister Mc Conalogue praised all at BIM involved with the project: “This unit will be a valuable national asset to the fishing sector, to BIM and to the community in Greencastle and I’m delighted that training commenced here last week.”
“Safety is an essential part of training for anyone embarking on a career in the seafood sector who intends working at sea. Since enrolling its first intake some 43 years ago, more than 30,000 students have undertaken training at the BIM National Fisheries Colleges. In many cases students have returned many times and a typical fisher might undertake basic and, later, enhanced safety training along with a variety of specialist courses in sea survival, firefighting, first aid and radio as their career progresses,” Minister McConalogue added.
“Since its introduction in 2001, over 8,000 members of the Irish fishing sector have completed BIM Basic Safety Training and have been issued safety cards. Moreover, almost 2,000 BIM personal flotation devices have been issued to owners of Irish registered fishing vessels,” he said.
(L to R) Cllr Johnny McGuinness, John D O’Kane, manager Foyle Fisherman’s Co-Op, Cllr Albert Doherty, Cllr Martin Farren, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, Garvan Meehan, College Principal, Caroline Bocquel, CEO, BIM, Aidan Cotter, Chair, Bim, Padraig McLaughlin, TD, and Charles Kavanagh, Officer in charge Greencastle Unit, at the launch of BIM’s new 12 metre Sea Survival Training Pool at the National Fisheries College in Greencastle, Co. Donegal.
Photo byJoe Dunne 24/05/24
BIM’s CEO, Caroline Bocquel, said at the launch today: “Safety at sea is paramount. It is vital that those working in the fishing sector are prepared for the worst-case scenario at sea. Wearing a correctly fitted Personal Floatation Device (PFD) and undergoing safety training and drills are the most effective ways to increase your chances of survival should you be faced with an incident at sea. We are immensely proud of this new facility.”
Referring to BIM research, carried out by Red C in May 2021, she highlighted that, “82% of fishermen personally know someone who has been lost at sea. The research indicated of those that have been on a training course in the past five years, 80% say they either always or most times wear a PFD – this compares to 58% for those that were on a training course more than five years ago or have never been on one before. This training matters. This training saves lives.”
The 12-metre pool is environmentally efficient with modern heat pumps and a heat recovery ventilation system. The water temperature will be kept low, reducing energy consumption and the need for chemical interventions.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, is helped by Caroline Bocquel, CEO, BIM, and Aidan Cotter, Chair, Bim, to put on a personal flotation device at the launch of BIM’s new 12 metre Sea Survival Training Pool at the National Fisheries College in Greencastle, Co. Donegal.
Sea survival pool drills are carried out during the launch of BIM’s new 12 metre Sea Survival Training Pool at the National Fisheries College in Greencastle, Co. Donegal.
A crewman enters the water at the sea survival pool drills at the launch of BIM’s new 12 metre Sea Survival Training Pool at the National Fisheries College in Greencastle, Co. Donegal.
