Estimated ‘100,000 fishing-related deaths annually’

Accession to the 2012 Cape Town Agreement (CTA) by the Republic of Korea has moved the IMO global fishing safety initiative a step closer

IMO Head of Outreach and Communications, Natasha Brown, confirms that there are now 27 contracting states to the CTA, representing an aggregate number of 3,208 fishing vessels of 24 metres length and over operating on the high seas.

“The conditions for entry into force of this agreement therefore have not yet been fulfilled,” continues Brown.

“Article 4(1) of the CTA states: ‘This agreement shall enter into force 12 months after the date on which not less than 22 states, the aggregate number of whose fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over operating on the high seas is not less than 3,600, have expressed their consent to be bound by it.’

“The Republic of Korea is the most recent accession to the CTA, which was announced in December 2025.

“We hope it will enter into force as soon as possible, but we do not have specific information as to which countries might ratify.”

One of the most dangerous professions

Describing fishing as “one of the most dangerous professions in the world”, the IMO stated on its website that, “Thousands of fishers are estimated to lose their lives every year when working to supply the world's growing appetite for fish and fish products.”

As way of context, the IMO added, “There are about 4.9 million fishing vessels in operation around the world,” although, “Most of these are small vessels.” Indeed, “Vessels of 24 metres and over in length overall (LOA) make up approximately 2% of the total global fishing fleet,” according to the 2024 State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA 2024) report by FAO.

When in force, the IMO expects the CTA will contribute to safe, legal and sustainable shipping outcomes – even though it represents a small amount of the overall number.

“[It] is an internationally binding instrument that sets minimum requirements on the design, construction, equipment and inspection of fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over or equivalent in gross tonnes,” it continued.

“The agreement includes mandatory international requirements for stability and associated seaworthiness, machinery and electrical installations, life-saving appliances, communications equipment and fire protection, as well as fishing vessel construction.

“The CTA is also expected to contribute to the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and prevent marine plastic pollution from abandoned fishing nets and other equipment.”

In a September blog, FISH Safety Foundation founder and Chief Executive Eric Holliday, FIMarEST, estimated that there were over 100,000 fishing-related deaths annually. He recounted attending a World Maritime University Conference where he answered a question as to, “How do fishers die?”

“I noted firstly the ‘normal’ maritime way – such as the vessel sinks or burns, or the fisher dies in an enclosed space, or they fall from height, or get caught in the winch,” he wrote.

“But then I added that small-scale fishers could also be shot by another fisher… for straying into ‘their’ part of a lake in Africa, they could be hijacked, killed and their boat and engine taken by ‘pirates’ in the Caribbean, they could get knocked out of their canoe and be killed by an angry hippopotamus, or they could be eaten by a Bengal Tiger in the Sundarbans after swimming ashore when their boat sinks in the Bay of Bengal.”

Mr Holliday said that, “The need for data collection and analysis is clearly understood in most high-risk industries. This is not the case in the global fishing sector.

“We need data, and we need to act on that data.”

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Image: fishing boat at sea surrounded by seagulls. Credit: Shutterstock.