Pembrokeshire skipper Danny Curtis is taking a lead role in a new campaign aimed at reducing fatalities and accidents amongst the UK’s small fishing vessel fleet.

Vessels of under ten metres make up around 64 per cent of this fleet, and Marine Accident Investigation Branch data shows that between 2007 and 2022, those working on vessels of this size accounted for 45 per cent of all fishing industry fatalities.

Nearly half of the number who died in the water were single-handed operators.

The new Home and Dry campaign is reminding those who go out to sea to do all they can to stay safe.

Danny Curtis from Little Haven is one of the UK skippers who stars in the campaign film on his vessel, the Martha Rose.

Danny sells his catch through his own shop Lobster and Môr, and he also sells directly to local cafes and restaurants through his business Dash Shellfish.

He said: “It was a pleasure to be involved in this campaign highlighting the reality of the job I love.”

In the film from the Fishing Industry Safety Group (FISG), Danny is one of several skippers from across the UK reflecting on what they miss most when out at sea and what they do to get themselves ‘back home and dry’.

The campaign is backed up with adverts, posters and banners in fishing communities and on social media.

 Simon Potten, Head of Safety and Training at Seafish and a member of the Fishing Industry Safety Group, says: “The people in our fishing industry go out to sea to bring food to our plates and they should always get home again to their families and communities.

"Home and Dry is about reminding those who go out to sea to do everything they can to stay safe. Some of those safety actions are done before getting on the boat such as regular training and safety drills.

"Others happen at sea, like constantly assessing the risks and wearing a personal flotation device with a personal locator beacon if the worst happens and they fall overboard.

“We are focusing our efforts on the under 10 metre fleet this time around as they are often alone so there isn’t always someone there to help if something goes wrong.

"The Home and Dry campaign is a resource for anyone who works on a commercial fishing vessel but we would really encourage those on smaller vessels to take notice and think about what they could do differently next time they go out to sea.”

For more information, see www.homeanddry.uk