The Chairperson of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board has warned that regulation may well be required for watersports in the leisure marine sector if voluntary standards set by accredited bodies are not adhered to.
That serious warning is contained in the annual report of the Board for last year, which recounts that in its report for 2020, “we strongly encouraged all organisations (especially clubs and commercial entities) associated with watersports and water recreational activities to audit their safety systems and to have regard to all guidelines or recommendations issued by any governing sports bodies.”
Chairperson Claire Callanan says: “It is disappointing to note that in 2021 the MCIB continued to be advised of situations where little or no regard was paid to governing body safety guidelines.”
"little or no regard was paid to governing body safety guidelines"
She says: “A number of recommendations were made in relation to the kayaking/canoeing sector, including ones related to commercial users. These included a recommendation that consideration should be given to the establishment of a directory of commercial providers of coastal sea and river paddle facilities and that consideration should be given to how best to enhance safety standards within the commercial paddle sport provider sector and whether a mandatory registration or licencing scheme, which would provide for the registration of instructors and their qualifications should be introduced.
“We have observed a continuing increase in the number of very serious incidents involving kayakers/canoeists some of which could very easily have led to fatalities.
“Regulation may well be required, especially in the commercial sector, if voluntary standards set by accredited bodies are not adhered to.”
The MCIB report also says that the Board has seen an increase in “incidents involving fishing vessels of all sizes.
“This has also been the assessment of our European Union (EU) partners and is feeding into the draft of a new EU Directive.”
As a result of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) decision in July 2020 (which held that Ireland had not correctly implemented Article 8.1 of Directive 2009/18/EC) the Board of the MCIB has had to operate with only three members. The Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2021 was presented to the Dáil on 11 November 2021 and passed its final stages in the Seanad on 5 May 2022. The Act will facilitate an increased composition of the Board based on a minimum of five and a maximum of seven members appointed by the Minister, along with other necessary operational and technical revisions to support the ongoing functioning of the Board.
The Chairperson comments in her annual statement: “The Board looks forward to the appointment of additional Board members at the earliest opportunity.”
