Fishing Deckhand Course

Lesson 1 • Vessel Familiarisation and Orientation

Introduces key areas of a fishing vessel including the wheelhouse, deck, hold, and engine room. Enables new deckhands to navigate safely and locate critical equipment.

Lesson 2 • The Commercial Fishing Industry Overview

Covers major fishing sectors, vessel categories, and target species. Establishes industry context so deckhands understand the economic and operational environment they are entering.

Lesson 3 • Deckhand Roles and Crew Hierarchy

Defines the deckhand position within the crew structure and chain of command. Clarifies responsibilities relative to the captain, mate, and other crew members.

Lesson 1 • Emergency Procedures and Drills

Covers man-overboard response, fire fighting, and abandon-ship procedures. Prepares deckhands to act decisively in life-threatening situations at sea.

Lesson 2 • Working at Height and Confined Spaces

Addresses risks of working on masts, rigging, and enclosed holds. Provides entry procedures and fall-arrest techniques relevant to vessel maintenance tasks.

Lesson 3 • First Aid and Medical Response at Sea

Introduces basic first aid, wound management, and hypothermia treatment relevant to fishing injuries. Bridges safety knowledge with practical medical response when professional help is distant.

Lesson 4 • Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

Teaches systematic identification of deck hazards such as slippery surfaces, moving gear, and fatigue. Builds the risk-assessment mindset applied throughout all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 1 • Rope and Line Handling Techniques

Covers rope types, coiling, heaving, and securing lines to cleats and bitts. These skills underpin mooring, towing, and gear-handling tasks throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Anchoring and Mooring Procedures

Explains anchor types, scope calculation, and mooring line arrangement at dock. Ensures deckhands can safely secure the vessel in port and at anchor.

Lesson 3 • Basic Navigation Awareness

Introduces chart reading, compass use, and buoyage systems relevant to a deckhand's situational awareness. Supports safe watch-keeping duties introduced in later chapters.

Lesson 4 • Weather Awareness for Deckhands

Covers reading weather forecasts, recognising deteriorating conditions, and understanding sea state. Enables deckhands to contribute to safe operational decisions at sea.

Lesson 1 • Overview of Commercial Fishing Gear

Surveys trawl nets, longlines, gillnets, pots, and purse seines and their target species. Provides the classification framework needed before studying individual gear systems.

Lesson 2 • Longline and Pot Gear Rigging

Details mainline, gangion, hook, and buoy setup for longline systems and pot-string configuration. Builds rigging skills transferable across demersal and shellfish fisheries.

Lesson 3 • Net Construction and Components

Explains mesh size, twine material, floatline, leadline, and codend construction. Understanding net anatomy is essential for rigging, repair, and compliance with mesh regulations.

Lesson 4 • Trawl Door and Warp Rigging

Covers otter board types, warp attachment, and spreading geometry for bottom and midwater trawls. Correct rigging directly affects catch efficiency and gear safety.

Lesson 1 • Setting Trawl Gear

Details the step-by-step sequence for shooting a trawl net, paying out warp, and setting doors. Builds on gear knowledge from Chapter 4 to execute safe, controlled deployments.

Lesson 2 • Setting and Hauling Longlines and Pots

Explains shooting longlines from a bait station and hauling with a line hauler, plus pot-string setting and retrieval. Applies rigging knowledge from Chapter 4 to live operations.

Lesson 3 • Gear Handling Emergencies and Snagging

Addresses gear snagging, warp overrides, and net tears during hauling operations. Teaches safe recovery procedures that protect crew and minimise gear damage.

Lesson 4 • Hauling Trawl Gear

Covers warp retrieval, door recovery, net hauling, and codend lifting procedures. Emphasises safe positioning and communication to prevent crush and entanglement injuries.

Lesson 1 • Shellfish and Crustacean Handling

Covers live handling, banding, and storage of crabs, lobsters, and bivalves to maintain viability. Addresses the specific welfare and quality requirements of shellfish products.

Lesson 2 • Catch Sorting and Species Identification

Covers rapid species identification, size grading, and bycatch separation at the sorting table. Accurate sorting is the foundation of compliant catch recording and quality control.

Lesson 3 • Bleeding, Gutting, and Heading Techniques

Teaches correct knife technique for bleeding, gutting, and heading finfish to preserve flesh quality. Proper technique reduces bacterial contamination and improves market value.

Lesson 4 • Food Safety and Hygiene on Deck

Applies food hygiene standards to deck processing, including sanitation, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene. Ensures compliance with seafood safety requirements.

Lesson 1 • Preventive Maintenance Schedules

Establishes daily, weekly, and seasonal maintenance routines for nets, wires, and deck machinery. Systematic maintenance reduces downtime and extends gear service life.

Lesson 2 • Wire, Chain, and Hardware Maintenance

Addresses warp wire inspection, shackle replacement, swivel lubrication, and chain link assessment. Prevents catastrophic gear failure caused by worn or corroded hardware.

Lesson 3 • Net Repair Tools and Materials

Introduces needles, twine types, gauges, and repair knives used in net mending. Familiarity with tools is prerequisite to all repair techniques covered in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Advanced Net Repairs and Patching

Covers large-hole patching, codend replacement, and floatline re-attachment for major damage. Builds on basic mending skills to handle repairs that would otherwise require shore-side work.

Lesson 1 • Deck Machinery Operation

Introduces safe operation of winches, net drums, pot haulers, and hydraulic systems on deck. Correct machinery operation is essential for efficient and injury-free gear handling.

Lesson 2 • Vessel Communication Systems

Covers VHF radio operation, distress calling procedures, and internal vessel communication. Ensures deckhands can communicate effectively with the bridge and other vessels.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Safe Watch-Keeping

Covers watch-keeping responsibilities, lookout duties, and handover procedures for deck watches. Establishes the vigilance standards that underpin all vessel safety at sea.

Lesson 4 • Fuel, Water, and Stores Management

Explains fuel transfer safety, freshwater conservation, and provisions management during a voyage. Supports vessel self-sufficiency and operational planning for extended trips.