At a glance
During the 20-year period 2000–2019, 141 deaths due to traumatic injury occurred in West Coast fisheries. While year-to-year fluctuations occurred, the annual number of fatalities has generally declined over these two decades.
Trends in West Coast Commercial Fishing Fatalities, 2000-2019
| Decade | Annual Average |
| 2000-2009 | 8.5 |
| 2010-2019 | 5.6 |
Quick Stats
During 2000-2019, 141 Fishing Industry Workers Died on the West Coast.
Types of Incidents Causing Fatalities
- Vessel Disaster (90, 64%)
- Fall Overboard (31, 22%)
- Onboard Fatality (9, 6%)
- Diving Fatality (8, 6%)
- Onshore Fatality (3, 2%)
Top Three Causes of Death
- Drowning (126, 89%)
- Blunt Force Trauma (6, 4%)
- Embolism (3, 2%)
Fisheries with the Most Fatalities
- Dungeness Crab (44, 31%)
- Salmon Setnet (17, 12%)
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 4, 2023
The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.
- NIOSH Commercial Fishing Incident Database