Beyond the Catch; Exploring the effects of work-related injuries on artisanal fishers and the emerging blue economy: A scoping survey

Fishing is referred to as a hazardous occupation due to the significant potential of work-related injuries and fatalities. Compared to other industries, artisanal fishing has a high accident rate. Fishers in marine fisheries are subject to a number of work-related injuries. Work-related injury rates in Ghana’s marine fishing industry are high, especially in the Central Region. Unfortunately, the relationship between the types of injuries and their effects on the fishers and on the blue economy have not been explored and documented extensively in the literature. This article therefore offers fresh insight into the type of injuries sustained by fishers in line with their work and the effect of the injuries on their activities and the emerging blue economy. A structured questionnaire was used in a survey of 308 artisanal fishers in six fish landing beach communities in the Central Region of Ghana. Data were analyzed based on demographic characteristics, injuries sustained, fishers accessing medical care and the effect of the injuries on fishing activities and the blue economy using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. Results indicate that fishers in the Central Regional are youthful (39.6±7.4) and well experienced with an average of 20.1±12.5 years of fishing experience. The most dominant injuries sustained by fishers include injuries from fish (85.4%), sun burns (72.4%), and injuries from hooks (50.6%). Less than half of the injured fisher seek medical attention of which almost six in ten (60.3%) practice self-medication. These reported injuries come with additional medical bills and negatively affect crew size which in turn increase the cost of living in fishing communities and negatively impact the seafood supply chain in the region. The Fisheries Commission and Departments of Agriculture should collaborate with the Ghana Health Services to organize outreach programmes that create awareness on the negative impact of work-related injuries in the fisheries sector and its implications for sustainability of the blue economy.