Maritime New Zealand says it endorses the preliminary push voiced by the coroner to make float-free EPIRB satellite-linked beacons compulsory on fishing boats and wants fishermen required to wear flotation devices, but says fishermen do not need to wait for the rules to change.
Maritime NZ investigator Domonic Venz, of Nelson, and maritime consultant Keith Ingram, of Auckland, were asked to comment after the two-day inquest in Te Anau this week into the deaths by drowning, of K-Cee skipper-owner Bruce Robert Gordon (42), of Te Anau, and deckhand Darren James Allen (37), also known as Fitzgerald, of Wairio, and the deaths by drowning, of Governor skipper Kevin John Cosgrove (60), of Dobson, Greymouth and deckhand Nirvana Drew Reynolds (16), of Blackball, also near Greymouth, last year.
Both specialists gave evidence in the inquest.
Southern coroner David Crerar indicated during the inquest he may recommend to the Government a legislative change to make the use of automatically activating float-free emergency position-indicating radio beacons (EPIRB) and inflatable life jackets compulsory for Fiordland fishermen.
''We're endorsing the coroner's findings and also encouraging others to go out now and get a float-free EPIRB,'' Mr Venz told the Otago Daily Times.
''Don't wait for the rule to change. You can do it now, and we've encouraged that since at least 1999 when the Endeavour 2 went down.''
EPIRBs on board K-Cee and Governor ''would have allowed the services get to the exact position much quicker''.
''It really gives you an advantage from a search to get a zero point where an EPIRB's going off, especially in these colder waters. Time is crucial.''
Mr Crerar heard in the inquest about patchy radio communications and how different radio channels were used off the coast of Fiordland. Mr Venz said an advantage of an EPIRB was the satellite link which was monitored around the world and around clock.
Asked if the cost of the equipment was prohibitive, Mr Venz said everyone had to be mindful of costs, ''but what cost the loss of a husband, or son, as we saw.''
Maritime NZ encouraged the taking of all practical safety steps including the wearing of suitable life jackets, he said.
''They're required to have a certain type of life jacket on board as part of their official life-saving equipment. What they do above and beyond that is great.''
Mr Ingram, a mariner for 50 years, said after the inquest there had been eight fishing deaths over the past 12 years. The recommendation to voluntarily carry on board float-free EPIRBs had been public since the loss of Endeavour 2, he said.
The cost of an EPIRB was about $3000, plus a $800 cradle to mount the device, about 15 years ago.
It sometimes accidently deployed in non-emergencies and washed off the boat.
However, modern EPIRBs were more sophisticated and cost less than $1000, he said.
