At a glance
During 2000–2019, 288 commercial fishing deaths due to traumatic injury occurred on the East Coast. While the annual average of deaths was lower in the second decade than the first, there was an overall stable trend in fatalities over the entire 20-year period.
Trends in East Coast Commercial Fishing Fatalities, 2000-2019
| Decade | Annual Average |
|---|---|
| 2000-2009 | 16.5 |
| 2010-2019 | 12.3 |
Quick Stats
During 2000-2019, 288 Fishing Industry Workers Died on the East Coast.
Types of Incidents Causing Fatalities
- Vessel Disaster (143, 50%)
- Fall Overboard (77, 27%)
- Onboard Fatality (42, 15%)
- Onshore Fatality (14, 5%)
- Diving Fatality (12, 4%)
Top Three Causes of Death
- Drowning (234, 81%)
- Blunt Force Trauma (22, 8%)
- Unintentional Overdose (16, 6%)
Fisheries With the Most Fatalities
- Scallop Dredge (53, 18%)
- Lobster (36, 13%)
- Multi-Species Groundfish Trawl (32, 11%)
Content Source
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
About This Page
Published: May 15, 2024
Updated: October 28, 2026
This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.
Reviewed: December 5, 2023
The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.
- NIOSH Commercial Fishing Incident Database (CFID)