Alaska Fishing Jobs are Still Open

Summer is in full swing, but you can still land a fishing job in Alaska. When ships return to harbor, many times crew members leave, opening positions for new workers. Some of the seasons that are still open include:

• Pacific Cod
• Black Cod
• Halibut
• King Salmon
• Dungeness Crab
• Yakutat Shrimp
• Beam Trawl Shrimp
• Hake
• Sablefish
• Yakutat Salmon
• Sockeye Salmon
• Yellowfin Sole
• Rockfish

There are also a few fishing seasons that start in August and September. August 15, golden king crab season starts in the Aleutian Islands, and during September, a few other seasons start, including king crab and mackerel.

Summer is the prime season for fishing in Alaska, so don’t delay if you’re interested in working in this industry. Working on a ship is actually one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, but this can also be an extremely lucrative career choice, with deckhands earning more money in a single season than they’d earn throughout an entire year in a typical salaried position. Becoming a deckhand isn’t your only option, however. If you’re looking for a less dangerous job, you can also work at an onshore role. Processing plants hire workers throughout the summer season to help with unloading boats, quality control, and other parts of the processing.

The hiring process in the Alaskan fishing industry is slightly different than in most industries. Positions aren’t always advertised; instead, they are filled through word of mouth, especially on ships. If you want to work in this industry, start by looking for an onshore position, so you can begin to meet the fishers already working in Alaska. Work hard and make it known that you’re looking for a position on a boat – eventually, you’ll talk to the right person who can recommend you for a deckhand position.