This study aims to establish a data-driven framework for identifying fishing vessel risk factors based on the Korean Maritime Accident Verdicts. As fishing vessels accounted for 64.66% of maritime accidents and 77.45% of fatalities in Korea (2020 – 2024), they represent a key target for maritime safety management. The narrative structure of verdicts — covering background, cause, and consequence — was transformed into 4M (Man, Machine, Method, Media)-based causal data, and the contribution ratios of each factor were calculated by an accident type. To complement documentary analysis, a HAZID (Hazard Identification) workshop was conducted to verify findings through field assessment. The proposed analytical framework converts narrative verdict records into numerical contribution values and reproducible causal sequences, enabling quantitative comparison of accident mechanisms across accident categories. This allows the identification of which causal factors and combinations should be prioritized for prevention efforts in fishing vessels, providing an objective basis for determining safety-check items and risk-control priorities. By integrating quantitative data analysis with field-based validation, this study establishes a practical and data-driven foundation for risk assessment in fishing-vessel design and safety management.