Behavioural science research on seafarers has snowballed throughout the maritime industries of the western world in the last five years or so. The reasons for this may be quite complex, but there is one significant identifiable factor that has given impetus to this research; those countries which are most active in this specialized field extensively employ their own nationals as ships' officers, and increasingly they have had to choose whether or not they wished to continue to do so. Seafaring as a career has few attractions in competition with the wider career opportunities provided by economic growth. That growth has also provided higher standards of education for young people, and consequently a greater awareness of the career choices available to them. The difficulties in recruiting and retaining the able seafarer have become more pressing within each country.