For all of you who love watching The Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel, you will know that it is the advertised as being the most dangerous profession in the world – but is it? Recent studies by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the Alaska Crab fishing industry in the Bering Sea is actually the 4th deadliest catch. The most dangerous business to be in is the commercial fishing industry with the most dangerous area being the Northeast Coast where fishermen fish for sole, cod, flounder and other ground fish. The second and third most dangerous jobs are the Atlantic scallop fishing industry and the West Coast Dungeness Crab fishing industry.
According to Dr Jennifer Lincoln who works for the CDC as an injury epidemiologist, the Northeast Coast fishing industry is considered to be the most dangerous because the crews are at sea for the longest period of time and they go out the furthest, meaning that in the event of an accident there are more lives at risk.
The Alaska fishing industry came under scrutiny in the 1990’s and undertook measures recommended by the CDC in order to prevent fatalities. The CDC only looked into other fishing areas from 2007 and found that there were many other problematic areas in need of safety regulations.
The most recent study, lead by Dr. Lincoln, was conducted over the last 9 years where 504 fishing industry related deaths occurred. The fatality rates were calculated according to the length of time at sea, distance out at sea, and the number of full time crew aboard each vessel.
Dr Lincoln says that there is still a lot of work to be done in the fishing industry, even though there have been some improvements, especially in Alaska fishing. More people are surviving vessel losses, according to the statistics, but the number of fatalities from people falling overboard remains the same at 30 percent.
It is good to see that attention is being paid to the dangerous world of commercial fishing in the freezing and turbulent waters of the U.S. This means that if you are looking for some adventure and to earn a lot of money, things are more positive when you enter the Alaska fishing industry. The conditions are still dangerous and this is something that you have to consider very carefully before you work on board a crab fishing vessel or any other commercial fishing vessel, even though the pay is extremely high.
Thanks to this recent report, things will be done to make your job a lot safer and allow you to still make a great living. You do not necessarily need any kind of experience to work in the crab fishing or commercial fishing industry if you start out as a deckhand, but you will require a Commercial Fishing License which you can obtain from any sporting goods store in Alaska. It is recommended that you get a job first and find out, because more often than not, the captain of the vessel will purchase these for their crew. You will also need work boots, oil skins (also usually provided by your employer), hooded sweaters and sweatpants, wool sweaters for warmth, and rubber gloves.
For more detailed information about what is required of a deckhand or any other commercial fishing crew member, and how you can find current jobs to apply for, sign up with Alaska Job Finder.
Related employment posts:
