The safety of commercial fishing: Determinants of vessel total losses and injuries Di Jin*, Hauke Kite-Powell, Wayne Talley Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mail Stop 41, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1138, USA Received 6 May 2000; received in revised form 15 November 2000; accepted 24 January 2001 Abstract Problem: Commercial fishing is one of the least safe occupations. This study investigates determinants of vessel total losses and number of fatal and non-fatal crew injuries resulting from commercial fishing vessel accidents. Method: An injury and vessel damage accident model is developed. Total vessel loss and crew injury models are estimated using probit and negative binomial regressions, respectively, and a unique micro data set of commercial fishing vessel accidents. Results: Estimation results indicate that the probability of a total loss is the greatest for a capsizing, followed by a sinking accident. Fire/explosions and capsizings are expected to incur the greatest number of crew fatalities — 3.5 and 3.8 for every 100 such accidents. For every 100 collisions, 2.1 non- fatal crew injuries are expected. The probability of a total loss and the expected number of crew fatalities vary inversely with the price of fish catches. Discussion: We discuss relevant issues related to fishing vessel safety management and regulation. Important vessel safety measures are summarized. Summary: Policy implications: (a) policies that reduce capsizings and sinkings will be effective in reducing fishing vessel accident total losses; (b) policies that reduce fire/explosions and capsizings (collisions) will be effective in reducing fatal (non-fatal) injuries. Impact on Industry: Policymakers should find the results of this study useful in developing regulation and enforcement mechanisms for reducing fishing vessel injuries and total losses. D 2001 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Commercial fishing; Accidents; Casualties; Statistical analysis; Discrete choice model S0022-4375/01/$ – see front matter D 2001 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII:S0022-4375(01)00047-0 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-508-289-2874; fax: +1-508-457-2184. E-mail address: djin@whoi.edu (D. Jin). www.elsevier.com/locate/jsr Journal of Safety Research 32 (2001) 209 – 228