The injury rate remains the same: nearly 100 percent, with an average of one fisherman lost every week.

Checking does in fact increase the injury rate, accounting for nearly a third of the problems.

"But most people who looked at it in a systematic way found that the injury rates were quite low."

The injury rate was climbing, the company's own reports showed.

The company says its injury rate is no different from the industry average.

By the time one reaches an average distance of 30 miles per week, the injury rate has increased to 50 percent a year.

Even at companies that say they have aggressive safety programs, the injury rates are high.

In that time, he said, the injury rate has increased by 76 percent.

The company has an injury rate that is two and a half times the industry standard.

Its injury rate last year was three times the national average.