COMMERCIAL FISHING By Taylor Zelmer

JOB DESCRIPTION
Catch fish & other marine life that will be consumed by humans, used as animal
feed, or bait
They use equipment such as nets, traps and fishing rods
Sort, pack & store catch in holds with salt and ice
Returns illegal or undesirable catches to water
Maintain engines, and fishing gears
Measure fish to ensure they comply with legal size
Guide nets, traps and lines onto vessel
 Small boats, less crew &
shallow waters
WORK ENVIRONMENT Big boats, large crews &
deep waters
Deal with fog, storms & wind
 Annual median salary:

SALARY $35,250
Median hourly wage of
approximately $16.95
 Critical thinking: Pros and
cons of certain situations

SKILLS NEEDED Attention to detail: Able to

evaluate the quality of the
catch
Speaking & Listening: Talk to
your Captain and Crew
 2,700 job openings from

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK 2016-2026

Growth rate = 7% 2014-
2024
 Gender Ratio

FACTS
Takes you away from home for months at a time
Males Females
12 % of fatal injuries are incidents on the deck
Slippery surfaces, high tension cables and hydraulic machinery can cause severe injury or death
70% of fatalities between 200-2009 were from vessel disasters; Vessel disasters include capsizing,
fires, and sinking following severe weather, collisions, or malfunctioning equipment on board.
Falling overboard is the second leading cause of fatalities; over the last 15 years there has been 210
fatal falls off a commercial fishing vessel on the West Coast
According to Center for Public integrity, Commercial Fishing was the most dangerous job from 2011-
2012
1,903 commercial fishing boats sank between 1992 and 2007, which resulted in 507 fatalities
Start as a deckhand, experienced fisherman become first mates, the move on the become captain of
a vessel
 Or consider it as a
WOULD I BE SUITED FOR THIS JOB? career possibility?
 QUESTIONS?????
What causes the most fatalities?
What is the median annual salary?
What is a skill needed?
 Tony Roach
WHERE I GOT MY INFO! Ivan Kuletz
thebalance.com
THANKS FOR LISTENING