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Occupational Medicine 2004;54:258-260
Occupational Medicine, Vol. 54 No. 4 © Society of Occupational Medicine; all rights reserved

Short Report

Mortality in the Polish small-scale fishing industry

Bogdan Jaremin and Ewa Kotulak

Clinic of Internal, Occupational and Tropical Diseases, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Powstania Styczniowego 9B, 81-519 Gdynia, Poland

Background

The fishing industry has a high occupational mortality.

Aim

To investigate the cause of mortality amongst Polish small-scale fishermen during a 40 year period.

Method

The retrospective data from three independent sources on deaths in the Polish small-scale fishing industry were analysed.

Results

A total of 177 deaths were identified, with an average annual mortality rate of 89 per 100 000 employees per year. The death rate was significantly higher in boats <13 m in length. In 96% of cases, death was due to external (non-medical) causes, while 60% were related to sea catastrophes, often involving multiple vessels. Alcohol was implicated in 45% of deaths where autopsy was carried out.

Conclusion

The Polish small-scale fishing industry has a high mortality rate which varies significantly by type of vessel and use of alcohol may be a significant contributory factor.

Keywords      Alcohol abuse; drowning; fishermen; occupational mortality; sea catastrophes

Received       14 January 2003
Revised         23 July 2003
Accepted       15 January 2004

Correspondence to: Bogdan Jaremin, Clinic of Internal, Occupational and Tropical Diseases, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Powstania Styczniowego 9B, 81-519 Gdynia, Poland. e-mail: poczta{at}immt.gdynia.pl


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