Not a single Alaska commercial fisherman died in vessel-related incidents in the 2014-2015 federal fiscal year. This was the first time this had occurred in Alaska's commercial fisheries, which have been known to have the highest mortality rate among occupations. Increased safety awareness and new fishing regulations are believed to be major factors in the decrease in fishermen deaths. New regulations replaced derby-style fishing with individual quotas, which relieved fishing pressure within a certain time frame and reduced the number of boats vying for fish. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on the topic "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay. 31 commercial fishermen died on average in Alaska between 1980 and 1988. This number dropped to 13 per year between 2000 and 2009. Alaska had a certain number of fishing days, but apart from this, was essentially a free-for-all game. A fishing season that lasted several months was reduced to several 24-hour periods per year. These restrictions were put in place to protect fish populations. While these restrictions were effective, they had the unintended consequence of making fishing much more dangerous. These 24-hour fishing periods were selected months in advance by government regulators. Some of these periods fell on days of bad weather and led fishermen to go out to sea in dangerous conditions. Of the 148 fatal shipping accidents that occurred in the United States from 2000 to 2009, 61 percent of the accidents were caused by adverse weather conditions. In 1995, individual halibut quotas replaced derby-style fishing in Alaska. Instead of a massive free-for-all during the 24-hour derby period, individual boat owners were given a quota of fish they could catch each season. This meant that fishermen could go out fishing at any time during the season, as long as they did not catch more fish than their quota allowed. Fishing boats were no longer forced to venture out to sea in specific 24-hour periods to catch as many fish as possible. Under the quota system, if the weather was bad, fishermen could simply choose not to go out and wait for the weather to improve. Under the old system, the designated 24-hour periods were the only periods in which fishing could be done, so even if there was bad weather on the horizon, fishermen were forced to take risks and go out to sea, which contributed greatly to the risk of commercial fishing. fishing in Alaska. Another positive safety consequence of the quota system is the decrease in the number of boats at sea. Under the quota system, boat owners could rent out their fishing shares to other fishermen who wanted to catch more fish than they were allowed. The remaining boats are believed to be manned by more experienced fishermen, and the reduction in the number of fishing vessels has contributed to the decrease in fishermen deaths. Also contributing to the improvement of results in terms of safety is the change in attitude towards safety. Fishermen are better prepared with first aid training and safety protocols. Increased use of life jackets and the standard use of lighthouses on boats has helped reduce boat accident fatalities, which is the leading cause of death for fishermen. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get an essay.