Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. Many commercial fishing operations are characterized by hazardous working conditions, strenuous labor, long work hours and harsh weather. During 2000-2010, an annual average of 46 deaths occurred (124 deaths per 100,000 workers), compared with an average of 5,466 deaths (4 per 100,000 workers) among all U.S. workers. In 2008, over 8 billion pounds of seafood was harvested in the United States earning over $4.4 billion. Species that contributed the most to this revenue include shrimp, Pacific salmon, pollock and lobster. There are approximately 115,000 harvesters in the United States using a variety of different fishing gear and vessels.
On the CDC website listed below, there are a variety of graphs and charts related to commercial fishing safety. The charts show the type of dangers most likely to cause injury or death, most dangerous regions of the country for commercial fishermen, most dangerous fisheries, and the relation between fishing injuries and changes to safety standards. This data is useful in identifying the aspects of commercial fishing where safety could be improved.
To view the above-discussed charts see: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fishing/