Electrofishing for Razor Clams Scientific Trial: 1 February 2024-31 January 2025
Electrofishing for Razor Clams Scientific Trial: 1 February 2024-31 January 2025 - Progress Report
5. Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
During 2024 the HSE diving group have undertaken proactive inspections of both the razor clam and wider shellfish diving industry. Industry stakeholders have continued to collaborate with HSE and offer feedback on the guidance and safety matters.
HSE is the Regulating Authority for diving projects in both inshore and offshore waters. Commercial diving in Great Britain is Regulated through the Diving at Work Regulations 1997.
In 2021 HSE produced revised guidance to assist diving contractors to enable the conduct of safe shellfish diving projects, which can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/regulating-major-hazards/assets/docs/scallop.pdf
The updated guidance improved the requirements regarding diving equipment, diving methodologies and diver qualifications. The electrofishing diving contractors working within the trial have successfully adopted this guidance.
The standards of diving equipment, methods and planning observed during the inspections have demonstrated compliance with the provisions of the Diving at Work Regulations 1997 and guidance. The requirement for shellfish divers entering the industry to hold an HSE Approved Diving Qualification (as opposed to a Recreational SCUBA diving qualification) has improved the standard of diving observed by HSE Inspectors. Verbal advice was given to two of the boats on the trial relating to documentary failings, with no formal written enforcement actions being deemed necessary during the year. There have been no reported serious diving incidents or concerns during 2024. Additionally, no reports of electrofishing diving projects in the waters of Great Britain outside the Scottish trials have been made as in earlier years of the trial.
Several of the boats were not conducting diving projects this year due to ill health or vessel maintenance issues. It is expected these contractors will return to active diving in the 2025 season.
Generally, the diving projects continue to demonstrate compliance with the diving Regulations.