The drowning of an Arbroath fisherman could have been prevented, according to a fatal accident inquiry.
Creel fisherman Raymond Davidson, 57, had been on the fishing boat Optik before going overboard near the Bell Rock on November 18 2009.
He died due to his left leg becoming entangled in a rope from creels that had been shot from Optik’s stern, dragging him into the sea.
But an inquiry at Forfar Sheriff Court has determined his life could have been saved if he had been wearing a life jacket or carrying a knife.
There was a range of other issues highlighted, including a lack of training among his crewmates and that he had taken amphetamine, which could have affected his judgment.
On the day, skipper Anthony Iveson saw Mr Davidson disappear over the stern from the shooting table.
He tried to winch Mr Davidson back aboard but the fisherman came out of the sea feet-first and the rope was wrapped around his left ankle and torso.
Although Mr Iveson cut the rope, he had insufficient strength to haul Mr Davidson in, as his head bobbed in and out of the sea.
Mr Iveson radioed for assistance and Neil Cargill on the nearby vessel Orianne jumped aboard.
He helped Mr Iveson bring Mr Davidson aboard but the fisherman appeared lifeless and he was pronounced dead at hospital.
Summarising the case, Sheriff Gregor Murray stated: “Mr Davidson was an experienced creel fisherman.
“It will never be known why he was near the buoy rope. He did not need to be.
“Though he knew his job was dangerous and required a clear head, he had ingested amphetamine, which he must have known would affect his judgment.
“Though Optik’s buoy rope was customarily stowed to one side of the deck, it was not stowed in a container or in an area partitioned from the deck.
“Either precaution would probably have avoided Mr Davidson’s death.
“The importance of wearing a life jacket is self-evident.”