Unalaska, AK – Seventy-five percent of fatal falls from fishing boats in Alaska happen in the western region an area including Bristol Bay and the Aleutians because many fishermen don't wearing personal flotation devices. Researchers from the Center for Disease Control want to know what would change that. They're distributing 200 high-tech, work-oriented PFDs to crab, longline, trawl, and salmon fishermen and asking them to evaluate the products.

Researcher Paul Anderson said the fishermen seem excited about the PFD survey.

"I think we've found that the free gear idea--because they do get to keep this gear after the study--has been appealing to a lot of them. Especially where it involves rainwear," he said. "Because these guys go through gear probably in a season. That's part of the reason we're going to give it to them, because they're going to use it hard and they're going to test it and I would imagine they're going to wear some of it out and break some of it and that's good information for us."

Anderson and Jennifer Lincoln, the deputy director the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, are asking fishermen to test the PFDs for a month and write evaluations of them. They'll use the information to write a consumer report type manual to help fishermen pick the best gear for their jobs.

Anderson said the research also includes an attitude survey that asks what do fishermen think about wearing PFDs and the different available types. She said she thinks the stigma attached to wearing them has lessened. Some vessels even require it now.

"I had one gentleman say to me on one of the boats that he wears a PFD most of the time primarily because it provides him some cushioning when working the rail and baiting pots," recalled Anderson. "He said to me he feels naked going out on deck without his PFD now, which is kind of what we really like to hear people say."

After participating in the survey, some crab boat captains have already agreed to purchase the new gear for their crew. The researchers spent over 35 thousand dollars on the test PFDs. They'll give 50 to crab fishermen, 50 to trawl fishermen, and 50 to longliners in Unalaska. This summer they will distribute 50 to salmon fishermen in Bristol Bay.