Source: NOAA Fisheries and Bureau of Labor Statistics
Fishing
Industry Overview
The Northeast Center works with fishermen and fishing organizations to develop solutions to keep them safe and well at work. We believe the best solutions come from collaborating with fishermen and their communities. The sustainability of the industry depends on many things, including its workers.

The Catch
What these industry numbers don’t tell are the human stories—the dedication, sacrifice, stress, toll on the body and even loss of life of those who make their living from the sea. From 2000 to 2017, commercial fishermen died on the job at a rate of 114 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. That’s 28.5 times higher than the average on-the-job fatality rate for U.S. workers. Fisheries workers also suffer from higher rates of injury, hearing loss and musculoskeletal disorders than those in other industries.
Fishing Forward Podcast
Fishing Forward is a podcast inspired by fishermen, for fishermen, with a focus on health, safety, and staying shipshape in the commercial fishing industry. Fishing Forward is funded by The Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety and produced by the team at Coastal Routes Radio at the University of Guelph and Dalhousie University in Canada.
“My life is my health. My health is my life.”
Anonymous
Fisherman
News & Media
Get Off your Ash; Protect Your Lungs!
Study on sleep & health in commercial fishing gets featured by Alaska broadcaster
Northeast Center Director Julie Sorensen interviews with KFSK media in Petersburg, AK on the subject of sleep and health in the fishing industry during a
Listen to our NEW Fishing Forward Podcast
What do commercial fishermen share in common with professional athletes like LA Lakers’ LeBron James and tennis ace Naomi Osaka? Find out in the first
Northeast Center hosts international fishing safety work group
Stay Safe. Stay Informed.
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