Getting Ready to Set Sail
Unless a candidate already knows someone in the business, it can be difficult landing that first job. The work is grueling, the quarters are close and the need for a strong team is imperative, so captains are generally reluctant to go out on a limb for someone who isn't vouched for. New recruits without strong references can spend some time walking the docks, getting to know the captains and their crews, possibly landing a job that way — although slots are rare and if someone has left a crew it might be a warning more than a cause for celebration.
There are some training courses to initiate new fishermen into the industry, which mainly focus on safety issues. Commercial fishing licenses are also required to fish the seas off the Alaskan coast, and fishermen are typically asked to furnish their own licenses, as well as their own gear, for each voyage.
New hires should negotiate their work agreements carefully to make sure everything is laid out clearly and both parties know what to expect. The pay for a newcomer will generally range from 1.5 to 10 percent of the adjusted gross catch — and a lot of that leeway depends on the skills of the worker and the type of work being done. When payday comes, the paycheck of a Bering Sea fisherman can be fantastic or fairly disappointing, depending on the fisherman's cut and the size of the haul.