Wearing a lifejacket could soon be a legal requirement for fishermen
Authorities are calling for legislation to be introduced enforcing fishermen to wear lifejackets.
The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch revealed three reports on the deaths of four commercial fisherman.
The MAIB found the men might have survived if they had been wearing a flotation device.
Two of the men lost at sea were Scots; Craig Reid, 25, from Inverness, and Gerard Gillies, 42, from Vatersay.
Statement from the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents: “The MAIB rarely recommends the introduction of new legislation to solve safety problems, but the rate that commercial fishermen are losing their lives due to drowning shows no sign of reducing.
"Indeed, this has been a particularly bad year: the MAIB has investigated the deaths of nine commercial fishermen, and today is publishing three reports covering the deaths of four. All four might well have survived had they been wearing a lifejacket when they entered the water.
“In the cold waters around the UK survival time can be measured in minutes unless a lifejacket is being worn. However, this message is not getting home despite a three year campaign that has seen almost every commercial fisherman in the UK receive a free lifejacket.
"Evidence from other countries shows that education campaigns alone have little effect on behaviour, but when backed by legislation the change is both significant and sustained."
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will receive the reports and decide if the call to make wearing life jackets a legal requirement should be considered.