“In 2021, the International Labour Organization stated that fishing has high rates of occupational accidents and work-related mortality compared with other productive activities, especially in artisanal fishing where informality predominates and labor protection systems are very limited.”

The fishing sector has some of the highest rates of fatal injuries among all industries. Data from ILOSTAT shows occupational injury fatality rates in fishing significantly exceed those in agriculture, manufacturing, and other sectors, particularly in developing regions where artisanal fishing predominates.

Death rates from work-related fatal accidents among workers in the fishing industry are high, and higher than for many other occupational groups on shore. Fatal accidents at sea are easily studied through mortality registers, as accidents at sea are coded on the death certificates as water transport accidents according to the International Classification of Diseases.

The global occupational fatality injury rate within primary industries (farming, fishing and forestry) varied from 0.9 to 265.2 during the period 2010–2015, with data obtained from the International Labour Organization ILO-STAT database covering 32 countries. The study found that the fatal occupational injury rate per 100,000 workers was significantly higher in middle-income countries (mean 35.9) compared to upper-income countries (mean 12.9), and emphasized that fishing workers face well-known high risks of injuries including drowning, gear-related accidents, and slips and falls.

While acknowledging high risks in artisanal fishing, FAO data from joint ILO collaboration indicates variability by region; in some mechanized fleets, rates approach industry averages, suggesting ILO's comparison may overgeneralize without regional qualifiers.

Fishing fatality rates are higher than the respective national occupational fatality rates in many countries, and in many countries are higher than the world average for fishing, indicating that fishing represents a disproportionately hazardous occupation compared with other productive activities.

A study commissioned by The Pew Charitable Trusts found that more than 100,000 fishing-related deaths occur each year—three to four times previous ILO and FAO estimates. The study notes that while the ILO estimated 24,000 fisher deaths annually in 1999 and the FAO estimated 32,000 per year in 2019, these figures likely underestimate fisher fatalities. The research emphasizes that these deaths and injuries disproportionately victimize impoverished people in low-income countries, with particularly high mortality rates in artisanal fishing fleets where safety equipment is insufficient and labor protections are minimal.

Peer-reviewed research confirms that fishing has substantially higher occupational accident and mortality rates compared with other productive activities across most countries. The research identifies informality and limited labor protections in artisanal fishing as key drivers of these elevated risks, with workers in low-income countries experiencing the highest burden of occupational injuries and fatalities.

A recent regional survey by the International Labour Organization (ILO) finds that migrant workers in Southeast Asia’s fishing and seafood processing industries continue to face serious gaps in working and living conditions, highlighting persistent weaknesses in labor protections across the region’s blue economy. The findings reveal widespread challenges, including high recruitment costs, weak wage protections, long working hours and serious occupational injuries. Workers also reported barriers to freedom of association, limited access to social protection and ongoing risks of forced labor.

Fishing is unquestionably the most hazardous occupation globally. In the late 1990s the International Labour Organization (ILO) calculated a fatality rate of 80 per 100,000 deaths in the fishing industry, giving a total of some 24,000 fatalities a year. Recent research by the FISH Safety Foundation has found the fatality rate to be substantially higher than previously documented.

Artisanal fishing is considered a high-risk activity due to factors like vessel deterioration, accidents such as sinkings, and informality. The majority of workers are informal, not affiliated to pension or occupational risk systems, only to subsidized health, confirming limited labour protections as per international assessments.

The code will provide practical guidance on preventing accidents and disease, clarify responsibilities of different stakeholders, and set clear standards for occupational safety and health in aquaculture. This acknowledges the high risks of accidents in fishing-related sectors where labor protections are often inadequate.

The regulations establish preventive measures to reduce occupational risks in artisanal fishing. However, effectiveness depends on implementation, and many artisanal fishers operate informally, lacking adequate resources and training, leading to continued exposure to risks like sea accidents. This highlights limited labour protection systems in practice, consistent with ILO concerns.

No prominent sources from 2021 or later refute the ILO's core claim; consensus across health agencies (WHO, CDC) affirms fishing's high relative risks, particularly artisanal. A minority view in some industry reports argues improved data collection inflates perceived rates, but lacks empirical refutation.

In 2021, accident statistics showed declines in high-risk sectors like construction due to COVID measures, but fishing data was not highlighted as exceptionally high compared to pre-pandemic levels. Profiles indicate fishing risks but not uniquely predominant informality issues.