Eighteen students received their certificates. Participants came from several Bands including Ahousaht, Kyuquot, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, Pacheedaht, Tla-o-quiaht, Uchucklesaht and Ucluelet.

``The courses we took on marine safety were interesting,’’ said Rocky Titian, of Ahousaht Fisheries. ``Even though many of us grew up on the water and knew a lot of the stuff we still learned important things about marine safety. I highly recommend the courses to our people because we will need certification anyway if we will be doing any kind of work on the water.’’

An Occupational First Aid or Marine First Aid certificate is a prerequisite for the operator certificate. To ensure that Nuu-chah-nulth have access to the prerequisites that they require, Uu-a-thluk also sponsored an Occupational First Aid course with Alberni First Aid on September 12 and another one on September 25. This is a basic Level 1 first aid course. Those who took the September 25 course are on Uu-a-thluk’s waiting list for the other two courses.

Another prerequisite for the operator certificate course being offered is Marine Emergency Duties A3. There are four levels available for Marine Emergency Duties. A3 is required for small commercial vessels. This course focuses on fire safety, rescue, abandonment and other important marine safety topics. Uu-a-thluk has contracted Malaspina University-College and Marine Education Associates to teach this course on September 26 and issue the certificates.

To conclude all of the course offerings put together by Uu-a-thluk staff there was a three-day Small Marine Vessel Operator’s Certificate course held September 27 – 29.

A good working knowledge of marine safety is critical to being effective on the water. These opportunities for training are just one step to bring Nuu-chah-nulth closer to their goals of having more access to marine resources and earn a living from them.

Many different kinds of certification are also being administered by Transport Canada. The three basic ones of interest to most Nuu chah nulth people are:
• the pleasure boat Proof of Competency Card,
• the Small Marine Vessel Operator’s certificate,
• and the commercial fishing certificates and licenses.

The one you require depends on the kind of work you are doing on the water, the size of the boat, the number of passengers, and the distance from shore it will travel. Vessel owners and operators need to ensure all crew members hold proper certificates.

Transport Canada’s requirements could be overwhelming and confusing. However, a good place to start is their website.

This page describes the Small Vessel Monitoring & Inspection Program. It states, `` The law says a vessel must have an inspection and a safety certificate prior to entering service. If you own or operate a small commercial vessel that has not yet been inspected by a Transport Canada Marine Safety Inspector, it's your responsibility to arrange for an inspection.’’

If your boat has not been inspected you should contact the nearest Transport Canada office. They will send you a package of material, either through the mail or by e-mail. After going through the package you can call the office again to ask any questions.

Certification of the crew is part of the monitoring and inspection process. A Transport Canada inspector conducts the first inspection. This initial inspection is so thorough inspectors find they can do only two boats in one day. Each year afterwards the vessel owner needs to conduct a self-inspection and submit the report in order to receive that year’s decal in order to stay current.

The inspections are valuable in many ways. During the initial inspection the inspector can point out potential problems to the vessel owner and suggest how to repair or prevent further problems. This can save money in the long-run on costly repairs. The ongoing self-inspections can also save the vessel owner repair costs if they catch problems before they get out of hand. Insurance costs can be significantly reduced with proper crew certification and vessel inspections. Most importantly, it can save lives.

Uu-a-thluk is seeking names of Nuu chah nulth members wanting to be put on waiting lists for Occupational First Aid, Marine Emergency Duties A3, Small Marine Vessel Operator, Radio Operator’s Certificate, Search & Rescue, and Swiftwater Safety. Contact Randy Fred at 250/741-0153 or by email.