Mortality in the Polish small-scale fishing industry.
BACKGROUND
The fishing industry has a high occupational mortality.


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


METHODS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Jaremin
Bogdan
B
Clinic of Internal, Occupational and Tropical Diseases, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Powstania Styczniowego 9B, 81-519 Gdynia, Poland. poczta@immt.gdynia.pl
Kotulak
Ewa
E
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D002423:Cause of Death; D004332:Drowning / Q000401:mortality; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009326:Naval Medicine; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies