Working on a fishing boat in Alaska has its perks, but it can also be challenging. You’ll be on the water all day to catch your catch. So you need to be comfortable with being outside and away from home for long periods. And that means you need to be prepared to spend some time away from other people as well.
Fishing boats in Alaska operate as remote as possible, and they often have equally remote crews. This means you’ll get a lot of one-on-one attention and lots of opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. However, it can be isolating at times—especially if you don’t know the area well or don’t have many friends there to keep you company on the limited social outings they will allow while you are working there.
What does a Fishing Boat Job in Alaska entail?
Fishing boat jobs in Alaska can be very different based on the boat and captain as well as your position on the boat. Some fishing boats in Alaska will have a deckhand, some will have a deck boss, and some will have a captain and first mate. If a boat has a mate, the mate may have a specific role—including being the cook. Depending on the type of work you have on a boat, you may or may not have access to the fishing boat.
Depending on the boat, you may have access to the deck and equipment, but not the fishing boat. On some boats, crewmembers can access the fishing boat if they want to. Much like the difference between deck and deckhand on a fishing boat, the type of work you do on a boat will differ greatly—and often dramatically—depending on the boat and captain.
Education requirements for Fishing Boat Jobs in Alaska
In most cases, a fishing boat job in Alaska requires no formal education. However, some boats do require a certain level of education before hiring or having certain requirements for the crew. You can check the requirements for a specific fishing boat job in Alaska or with the captain to find out what is required.
While some fishing boats in Alaska will require a high school diploma or GED for crewmembers, many do not. Many fishing boats in Alaska will accept someone with a high school diploma, a GED, or even someone without any formal education at all.
However, some captains will require that you have a certain level of experience or that you have a certain type of certification before hiring you as a crew member. If a fishing boat in Alaska requires certifications or experience levels that you do not have, you may want to consider another job on a fishing boat in Alaska.
Working hours on fishing boats in Alaska
This depends on the captain and the type of work you have on the boat. If you are a deckhand, then you will most likely be on the water all day, every day to catch fish. You may have a few days off here and there, but you’re going to be on the water catching fish, no matter where you are on the boat. With that said, a lot of captains do allow their crew members to take a few hours off here and there, depending on the day and where you are on the boat.
If you are a deckhand, you will be on the water all day, every day. This doesn’t mean that you will have to work all of your hours, though. Depending on the boat and the captain, you may not be required to work as many hours as a deckhand on a bigger boat. If you are a deckhand, you will likely be on the boat during the day. At night, you’d go to bed when you want.
You’d wake up when you want. You’d eat when you want. You’d drink what you want. And you’d do what you want. Then, you’d go back on the boat when the captain says so. You may have a schedule, but it’s often flexible and often flexible.
Pay scale for Fishing Boat Jobs in Alaska
Like most jobs in Alaska, the pay for fishing boat jobs will vary depending on the boat and captain, as well as the experience of the crewmember.
Generally speaking, pay on a fishing boat in Alaska will fall in a range between $20 and $30 an hour. However, there are often bonuses and extra pay for having high catch rates or finishing a certain number of trips per year.
Fishing boat jobs in Alaska are often seasonal, and payments may change significantly during the summer months when the salmon run is happening. Overall, the pay for fishing boat jobs in Alaska may be higher than some other types of jobs in Alaska because of the hours and the challenges of the job.
Other perks of working on a fishing boat in Alaska
- Experience – You will gain experience working on a fishing boat in Alaska, managing people, managing schedules, managing equipment, and managing money.
- Travel – Most fishing boats in Alaska operate on a seasonal schedule, so you will get to travel a lot during the summer months when the salmon run is happening.
- Crew unity – Every fishing boat has its own crew culture. You’ll get to experience that culture and see how people work together on one boat.
- Immerse yourself in the Alaskan wilderness – Most fishing boats in Alaska are located in remote areas, which means you will immerse yourself in the Alaskan wilderness.
Final Words
Fishing boat jobs in Alaska can be a great way to experience a remote part of the state, earn some extra money, and meet some interesting people in the process. Fishing boat jobs in Alaska can be challenging, especially if you aren’t prepared for the hours and isolation of the job. However, fishing boat jobs in Alaska can also be very rewarding.
