Determination of risk perception in small-scale fishing and navigation

In this study, risk perception and the impact of various environmental factors on accidents involving fishing vessels in small-scale fishing vessels during navigation were examined. Thirty fishing vessel captains from Çeşmealtı and İskele fishing ports evaluated the risks of environmental conditions under different scenarios in the bridge navigation simulator based on the Fine-Kinney risk assessment method. Nonparametric (Mann-Whitney U-test) and parametric tests (Pearson correlation and independent-samples t-test) were performed to analyse other related parameters. The study also conducted a small questionnaire study that included questions such as the number of past accidents by fishermen and the number of engine rudder failures. According to the sum of the fishermen's assessments, reduced visibility was the highest factor increasing the probability and consequences of accidents in sea navigation, while they identified night and heavy weather conditions as the highest factor in port navigation. Fishermen also found navigating their ports safer than sea navigation. There is a significant, positive, and strong correlation between the number of fishermen’s accidents and the number of engine rudder failures (p=0.047, r=0.714), the perception of accident probabilities in port navigating with restricted visibility (p=0.027, r=0.726) and in port navigation at night and in heavy weather (p=0.003, r=0.866). According to the results of the study, using the outcomes of the pre-fishing environmental risk assessment, the competent maritime authorities may be able to take effective measures to prevent the occurrence of serious marine casualties.