I read an article in today’s Globe & Mail on drowning in Canada that really made me think. It said that fishermen are more likely to drown than swimmers, sailors, kayakers and other water enthusiasts. It also remarked on the low PFD-wear rate in the fishing community. While I don’t doubt the stats, I’d like to believe the aversion to PFDs is changing. I admit that I used to be one of the weak-swimming, non-PFD wearing fishermen referenced in the article, but I – and many around me – have changed. In the last few years I have seen a dramatic increase in PFD wear within the fishing community. Many are moving to inflatable PFDs which allow them to maintain mobility and comfort in warmer weather, and many are wearing flotation suits as protection from the elements in open boats. While we still have a long way to go, I believe fishermen are realizing how easy it is to become a statistic and how equally easy it is to put on a PFD and stay out of the stats altogether.

The full Globe & Mail article can be found online..