How to Get an Alaska Commercial Salmon Fishing Job

Long hours of tough physical labor await those hardy enough to tackle Alaska's salmon fishery.

While there are many fisheries in Alaska, the salmon fishery is the largest and easiest for an entry-level worker to get into. This is not the television show, "The Deadliest Catch," and you will not start out as a deckhand working 60-odd hours of king crab-catching mayhem. You are far more likely to start as a "processor" working in the bowels of a boat or factory ship. However, the money can still be great, and if you are in robust physical health and can work long hours, the Alaskan salmon fishery may be right for you.

Instructions

1. 

   Many people go to Alaska for the work, but stay for the beauty.

   Research the industry. If you know someone who has experience in the Alaskan salmon fishery, he should be your first resource. Talk to him and find out what to expect. The commercial salmon fishery is no joke, and you will be working up to 16 hours a day, often for weeks at a time. Most companies require a time commitment of at least several months, so be sure you know what you are getting into before you go, because if you back out early, you may well end up owing money.

   Another benefit of talking to someone with experience is that depending on how long he's been fishing, he will know which boats and companies have good reputations and which you should avoid. He may also have a personal network of contacts and be able to give you a reference. A good personal reference from a trusted deckhand will serve a "greenhorn" better than almost anything else.

2. Search online information such as Alaska Fishing Jobs and Alaska Job Finder (see Resources). Both of these sites charge fees, however. Also try the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (see Resources), which does not charge.

3. Read the classified section of your local newspaper if you live on the west coast. The larger fishing companies actively recruit up and down the U.S. west coast and, in late winter and early spring, begin holding orientation/recruiting sessions at hotels in virtually all of the major towns and cities. The Seattle area is your best bet for this, but there are many meetings held in Portland, San Francisco and points even further south. Even mid-sized towns such as Eugene, Oregon, and Santa Rosa, California, will typically have at least a few companies hold meetings at local hotels.

4. Submit multiple applications to the Alaskan salmon-fishing companies you find. Whatever method or methods you use to apply, it's a good idea to apply to several companies and have them keep your name and number on file. Unless you have an inside connection, companies will almost never call you right away. The fishing industry is sporadic, and it is not at all unusual to wait weeks after applying to several companies only to receive several phone calls in one day, asking if you can fly to Seattle the next morning.

5. Pack your bags and put your affairs in order. When a company calls and tells you they need you to be in Seattle tomorrow, you need to be ready. If you are a "greenhorn," they will not expect you to have the appropriate gear. Virtually all companies will pay your airfare and for your gear up front, with the cost taken out of your earnings later.

Tips & Warnings

• All jobs in the Alaskan salmon fishery are on a contract basis. You sign a contract with the company you are working for that stipulates a set of terms that you are expected to fulfill. Many "greenhorns," for a variety of reasons, find that the work is not for them and choose to leave before fulfilling their contract. All skippers will drop you at the nearest convenient port, and most companies will pay for you to get back down to Seattle should you so desire, but you will have to pay for the cost of your travel expenses out of your earnings and will forfeit your right to any bonuses and/or crew share.

• Don't expect to be hired as a deckhand during your first season. Typically, deckhands receive higher pay rates and are recruited from the ranks of the processors.

• Most companies have a zero-tolerance policy regarding drug and alcohol use. You will be drug-tested prior to hire. Once on board a vessel, total sobriety is not negotiable, and you will lose your job if you are discovered using any controlled substance.

• According to the State of Alaska Division of Employment Security, "Exercise caution when you see books or ads that guarantee 'big money jobs' in Alaska. Many simply offer names of companies and require you to find your own job. The information provided is often inaccurate. Companies outside Alaska calling themselves the Alaska Employment Service (or something similar) and offering employment services for a fee are not associated with the State of Alaska, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Employment Services Program."

References

• Division of Employment Security: Finding Work in Alaska

Resources

• Alaska Fishing Jobs Network: Salmon Fishing Boat Jobs
• Alaska Job Finder
• Alaska Fishing Jobs
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game: FAQ