The determinants of fishing vessel accident severity

•We examine the determinants of fishing vessel accident severity in the Northeastern United States.•Vessel damage and crew injury severity equations were estimated separately utilizing the ordered probit model.•The results suggest that vessel damage severity is positively associated with loss of stability, sinking, daytime wind speed, vessel age, and distance to shore.•Vessel damage severity is negatively associated with vessel size and daytime sea level pressure.•Crew injury severity is also positively related to the loss of vessel stability and sinking.

The study examines the determinants of fishing vessel accident severity in the Northeastern United States using vessel accident data from the U.S. Coast Guard for 2001–2008. Vessel damage and crew injury severity equations were estimated separately utilizing the ordered probit model. The results suggest that fishing vessel accident severity is significantly affected by several types of accidents. Vessel damage severity is positively associated with loss of stability, sinking, daytime wind speed, vessel age, and distance to shore. Vessel damage severity is negatively associated with vessel size and daytime sea level pressure. Crew injury severity is also positively related to the loss of vessel stability and sinking.