Report: Over 100,000 fishing-related deaths occur annually

By ELAINE KURTENBACH
AP Business Writer

BANGKOK (AP) — A new study shows more than 100,000 people die in fishing-related accidents each year and many of those fatalities were preventable. The report by the Pew Trust and the Fish Safety Foundation released Thursday says the number of deaths is triple or more earlier estimates. It said the deaths occur from injuries and abuses by fishing operators, child labor and decompression sickness among divers forced to make repeated deep dives. A major factor is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, which has increased as overfishing leads fleets to travel ever further in search of catches. The report’s authors said more research is needed to clarify the number of lives lost and improve policies to prevent such deaths.