Risks, Dangers, and Rewards in the Nova Scotia Offshore Fishery

According to Labour Canada, workers in the offshore fishery are more likely to be injured than workers in mining, construction, or forestry. Yet until recently these casualties at sea have been largely ignored by government and labour organizations. In this comprehensive evaluation of the Nova Scotia offshore fishery Marian Binkley documents the level of risk and assesses the general health and stress level of workers in the industry. She considers shipboard working environment; stress; accidents, injuries, and general health; safety awareness; job satisfaction and family life; and the impact on working conditions of government resource policies and companies' scientific management strategies. Using statistical analysis, participant observation, surveys, and interviews, Binkley establishes that factors such as technological developments, management changes, and home and community life affect the immediate work experience of fishers and can increase the dangers of an already hazardous occupation.