Fishing Vessel — Emergency Response Practice Questions

A. Sound the alarm/muster the crew, attempt to locate and control the source of ingress while simultaneously broadcasting a Mayday with position, and prepare survival craft/PFDs in case the situation worsens — these run in parallel, not strictly sequentially, given the time pressure

B. Continue fishing operations while monitoring the water ingress, since stopping work risks the catch

C. Locate and fully stop the leak before considering any distress communication, however long that takes

D. Broadcast distress only once the vessel is confirmed to be sinking, not before

A. Position is optional if the vessel is fishing in a well-known, regularly used ground

B. Only the vessel's name is strictly necessary; other details can follow once help is on the way

C. MAYDAY (x3), vessel name/callsign, position, nature of distress/assistance required, number of persons on board, and any other relevant information (e.g. vessel description, immediate intentions)

D. The catch value and intended landing port, as this helps prioritise the response

A. EPIRBs replace the need for liferafts entirely

B. It serves no real additional purpose if VHF radio is already carried

C. It transmits an automated distress alert with position via satellite even if the crew have no time to make a voice call, are incapacitated, or the vessel sinks/capsizes too quickly for manual radio use — and works well beyond VHF's line-of-sight range

D. EPIRBs are only useful for vessels operating beyond 200 miles offshore