What should a skipper do, beyond basic first aid, when a serious crew injury occurs while the vessel is several hours from the nearest port?

A. Seek remote medical advice (e.g. via the Coastguard, Telemedical Assistance, or equivalent for the operating area) to guide ongoing casualty care and to inform the decision on whether immediate return to port, vessel diversion, or helicopter evacuation is required

B. Always continue fishing and treat the casualty only on return to the home port at the end of the trip

C. Rely solely on the basic first aid training of the crew with no outside medical contact, regardless of injury severity

D. Medical evacuation is never an option for fishing vessels regardless of distance from shore

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