Field test of two mobile apps for commercial fishing safety: Feedback from fishing vessel captains.

Abstract

Unique hazards make commercial fishing a hazardous occupation. Effective safety measures exist, but numerous barriers hinder their adoption. Two mobile apps aim to make performing crucial safety practices easier: the Small Craft Motion Program (SCraMP), which provides vessel stability information, and FVdrills, which provides checklists for running safety drills. The purpose of this study was to obtain feedback from commercial fishing captains who tested SCraMP or FVdrills for its usefulness during typical fishing operations. A convenience sample of commercial fishing captains with iOS devices tested either FVdrills or SCraMP. After one month, participants provided feedback via online questionnaire. The main outcome variables were self-reported app use and perceived usefulness of the app. Thirty-two participants who were asked to try FVdrills (n = 16) or SCraMP (n = 16) completed follow-up questionnaires. Twelve participants in the FVdrills group (75.0%) reported using the app. Of these 12, eight (66.7%) rated FVdrills "Very" or "Extremely" useful, and 11 (91.7%) agreed that FVdrills is "easy to use." Nine participants in the SCraMP group (56.3%) reported using the app. Of these nine, only one participant (11.1%) rated SCraMP "Very" or "Extremely" useful and only two (22.2%) agreed that SCraMP is "Easy to use." Commercial fishing captains who already own a smartphone or tablet may be willing to try a new mobile app addressing safety issues related to their work. App developers and safety professionals should conduct multiple rounds of formative evaluation, field-testing, and refinement to optimize ease of use and usefulness.