THE CANADIAN PRESS

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ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The Fish, Food and Allied Workers union is calling for an independent investigation into how Canadian authorities, including the coast guard, respond to emergencies at sea.

Union president Earle McCurdy said Thursday there are too many unanswered questions surrounding several high-profile incidents, including the fatal capsizing of the Melina and Keith II off Newfoundland three years ago.

"We want something that (asks), 'What do we have in place now in terms of dealing with emergencies? What are the shortcomings and how can we address them?"' McCurdy said from St. John's, N.L.

"It's not a (negative) reflection on the personnel. They've had some very heroic rescues in recent years, but it's just a question of how can we make the system as effective as possible."

Four men were killed when the Melina and Keith II sank off Cape Bonavista on Sept. 12, 2005.

The four survivors clung to an aluminum boat and other debris for at least two hours after the vessel went down.

Last week, the longliner's captain, Shawn Ralph, was fined $5,000 for violating Canadian Shipping Act regulations, including failing to maintain a proper watch and failing to ensure the crew knew how to use lifesaving equipment.

McCurdy said Ralph was scrutinized by the courts and the media, but there has been "no public scrutiny of the response system by the federal authorities."

Last year, a coast guard review of the sinking acknowledged the need for more search and rescue staff across Canada, as well as more formalized training on the monitoring of vessels.

Officials said at the time of the accident that coast guard staff were not required to use a monitoring system that may have located the vessel faster.

The Transportation Safety Board, an independent agency, also produced a report on the sinking and made recommendations concerning the positioning of life-rafts, but McCurdy argued such reviews are too specific.

He said the union is looking for a broad overview of response procedures and capabilities, not a case-by-case investigation.

The review should be independent, he said, but also involve experienced vessel owners and fishermen, McCurdy said.

"Internal review is all well and good, but there comes a point when you need some independent third party to look at the systems and try to come up with recommendations to have a more effective response system when a distress call goes out," he said.

"We're not looking to point fingers for what's happened in the past. We're looking to improve the protection for the future."

McCurdy also said Transport Canada, the coast guard and the Defence Department need to work more closely with experienced vessel owners to improve search and rescue services and procedures.

Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn said he is open to receiving input from fishermen on the matter.

"I appreciate how important this issue is for Mr. McCurdy and his members who make their living on the water," Hearn said in a statement.

"If there are concrete proposals that the union would like to put forward, then I would be happy to receive and review them."

Of particular concern to the union, said McCurdy, are response times and whether the full potential of electronic equipment aboard fishing vessels is being used during emergencies.

The union has also called for a review of the coast guard's training exercise procedures following the fatal capsizing of the auxiliary vessel Sea Urchin in Bonavista Bay in November 2007.