Article content National Fishing Week is July 3rd to July 11th and with that in mind, Lifesaving Society Manitoba wants to remind anglers about the importance of wearing a lifejacket. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser. Hooked on life jackets Back to video 80 percent of recreational boaters who drown every year in Canada were not wearing a lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD). Most drownings occur in small, open powerboats accounting for 60 percent of these preventable deaths. The majority of victims were males between the ages of 19 and 35, out for a day of fishing.