Lifejacket Vans Adding Additional Ports

The Lifejackets for Lobstermen Project announced that they are adding a few additional ports before ending the Lifejacket Vans dockside visits for the season.

Massachusetts Ports

Provincetown: October 25 & 28

Chatham: October 29

Boston: October 30 & 31, November 1

Beverly: November 4

Rockport: November 5

Maine Ports

Stonington: November 7, 8 & 11

Vinalhaven: November 12 & 13

Harpswell: November 14 & 15

Portland: November 18

Since April 1st, the Lifejacket Vans have visited 43 harbors, twice, along the coast of Maine and Massachusetts. We are pleased to be able to add these additional ports in response to requests from fishermen. The additional ports are between areas already visited to increase the reach for individuals who previously missed the vans. Equipped with 11 different models of lifejackets and buoyancy aids, the dockside vans are giving everyone the opportunity to try on personal flotation devices (PFDs) to see what will work for them. Commercial lobstermen, and commercial fishermen with a lobster bycatch license are eligible to purchase these devices at the vans for a 50% discount. The Lifejacket Vans have distributed over 750 lifejackets to commercial lobstermen! Falls overboard are the most frequent cause of death in the Northeast lobster fishing industry. These events can happen in a split second, without the chance to put on a life saving device. Over 550 commercial lobstermen provided input about comfort and workability of PFDs, helping us select an excellent array of devices for fishermen to compare side-by-side at the vans. The Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety (NEC) is collaborating on this project with Fishing Partnership Support Services, Maine Lobstermen’s Association, Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, McMillan Offshore Survival Training and the Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen’s Association.

To find out where the lifejacket van will be, go to our Facebook page for updates. https://www.facebook.com/LifejacketsforLobstermen.

If you have questions, feel free to call: 607-221- 4448, or email: [email protected].