Conclusions
_Fishing is one of the most hazardous occupations in
Nordic countries. Safety, health and wellness of fishermen is important in
maintaining fishing as a viable occupation in the future, and fisheries as a
sustainable part of local and national economies in the Botnia-Atlantica region.
Developing well-functioning occupational health services (OHS) for fishermen may
benefit this sector in the following ways:
The following findings of this project should be concidered during development of OHS services for fisheries:
- reduce losses from injury, illness, fishing vessel and property damage among fishermen
- contribute to the attractiveness and viability of fishing as an occupation for future generations
- contribute to promoting the use of domestic fish products as an important part of diet in the Nordic countries
- contribute to the economic viability in the coastal regions in the Botnia-Atlantica region
The following findings of this project should be concidered during development of OHS services for fisheries:
- OHS service should be made available to all fishers due to the nature of the occupation.
- OHS must be promoted continuously.
- OHS must be promoted using channels that allow multiple encounters and that fishers respect.
- A common knowledge source about OHS issues among fishermen, sharing of best practices of OHS for fisheries, and training are needed to increase expertise, impact and adoption of these services.
- The relation between the fisher and the OHS system should be more of a partnership, benefitting from better understanding of the individual working environment and work tasks over time, and deepened knowledge of the fisher’s health status and its development over time.