Improving Safety in the Alaskan Commercial Fishing Industry

Objectives: Over 90% of deaths in Alaska's commercial fishing industry were due to drowning, following vessel sinkings. In the early 1990s, the U.S. Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act required the implementation of safety measures for all fishing vessels. The purpose of our study was to examine the effectiveness of these measures in reducing the high fatality rate of Alaska's commercial fishermen. Study Design: Alaska Occupational Injury Surveillance System and Alaska Trauma Registry data were used to examine fishing fatalities and injuries. Demographic, risk factor, and incident data were analyzed for trend. Results: During 1991-1998, there was a significant (p