Drowning deaths among anglers: Are waders a contributing factor?

Recreational fishing has been a popular activity for Australians over at least the past two centuries. While the use of waders for recreational fishing is widely adopted by participants, there is considerable speculation as to whether waders are contributing to fishing-related drowning deaths. This...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of injury control and safety promotion 2017-03, Vol.24 (1), p.131-135
Main Authors: Petrass, Lauren A., Blitvich, Jennifer D., McElroy, G. Keith
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aquatic recreation
Biomechanics
Buoyancy
Clothing - adverse effects
Controlled conditions
Drowning
Drowning - etiology
Drowning - mortality
Drownings
Fatalities
Fishing
Grey literature
Humans
Personal communication
Recreation
Recreational use
Reviews
Sport fishing
Swimming
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Recreational fishing has been a popular activity for Australians over at least the past two centuries. While the use of waders for recreational fishing is widely adopted by participants, there is considerable speculation as to whether waders are contributing to fishing-related drowning deaths. This study involved a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature to identify relevant information and a pilot investigation in a swimming pool to understand the accuracy of the currently available information. Extensive searching indicated that there is no published peer-reviewed evidence on the contribution of waders to drowning deaths, although the grey literature and personal communication with fishers offer a range of opinions, some that aim to discredit the claim that waders contribute to drowning, and others that support it. Improved understanding of the actual effect of waders based on biomechanical buoyancy principles and a pilot study of submersion in controlled conditions contributes to enhanced safety of fishers who choose to wear waders, dispels current myths and informs future studies of fishers wearing waders.
ISSN:1745-7300
1745-7319
DOI:10.1080/17457300.2015.1062033