My name is Kevin Wilson and I own and operate a commercial fishing vessel in Alaska. I am looking to fill a deckhand position for this summer. We fish for sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska. It is a small scale operation. You will be joining myself and two other experienced crew members from June to early August.
Job Description:
When: Early June to about August 1st, depending on the fishing.
Where: You will be responsible for flying to King Salmon, Alaska where you will meet the crew and help prepare the vessel for the season. Fishing occurs from mid-June to early August and we will be at sea for the majority of the time. We live and work on the boat. The majority of the fishing occurs near shore and at the mouth of rivers but the sea can get rough. Please keep this in mind if you are prone to motion sickness.
Responsibilities: Commercial fishing is physically and mentally demanding. It is really hard work. At the peak of the season, we will be working 20+ hours a day. I am not saying this to scare anyone, I just think it is important that you know exactly what the job requires and the expectations. We like to have fun while fishing and when we have time off but we operate with a small crew and it is essential that everyone pulls their weight. For the right person, this job is a great adventure with the potential for a good financial reward.
We use a gillnet to catch salmon so majority of the job is taking fish out of the net, bleeding them and putting them in the fish holds. We typically share the meal cooking responsibility on the boat. Other tasks involve tying up and delivering the catch, maintaining a clean boat, and some repair of the boat and nets when needed. We work as a team and I try to put people in positions to play to their strengths.
Essential Skills:
Positive Attitude: This is essential. We are all living and working together. It is critical that you be able to live and work with people in a small confined area. The boat is 32ft. A sense of humor definitely helps. There are good days and bad days so we all work to keep moral up and have a good time while we are in Alaska.
Hard Working: This is self explanatory.
Commercial Fishing or Boating Experience: Any experience commercial fishing or time on boats is very helpful. If you know that you don’t easily get sea sick that is good. I do not require experience for this position but you will be expected to learn quickly on the job. Pay will depend some of commercial fishing experience.
As I said, this is a great job for the right person but a miserable experience for someone who doesn’t like being on boats, being tired and working very hard. I commercial fished throughout college and most of my crewmen have been college students. It is a good fit, as the season occurs during the summer and it can be very financially rewarding. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with further questions about the job. I want to make sure this to be a good fit for me and our crew as well as for you. Thanks.
