Deadliest Catch

As the season comes to an end the crew of the Cornelia Marie is scrambling to fish the last of their quota and get back to port to offload.  Continuing to battle the freezing spray and personal injuries such as a sprained back, frostbite, and even complications from a surgically repaired pelvis the weary crew continues the gut wrenching work, while at the same time having the health of their Captain weighing heavy on their minds.  Despite it all they are able to get the remainder of their quota on board in time to meet their deadline and return home where the Harris brothers learn the truth about their father.  Not wanting them to loose their concentration on the job at hand, Captain Phil Harris has never told his sons of just how serious his medical problems are.  Having had a blood clot pass directly through his heart and end up in his lung, he is lucky to even be alive.  However, there is little chance he would have the same fate if another clot appeared, and is forced to give himself injection as well as make daily trips to the local hospital.  With his health in such jeopardy, there is much doubt as to whether he will ever return to the Bering Sea.  But he is at peace in knowing his boys have a strong foundation to carry on even without their lifelong mentor and father on board.

For the Northwestern the mood is much more upbeat as a record season has Sig and crew smiling from ear to ear.  Edgar even gives up the opportunity for some long overdue rest to work on a practical joke to play on his elder brother.  Creating a “dummy” of a deckhand he climbs on top of the wheelhouse with it, and mischievously throws the dummy downwards as if a deckhand had fallen.  But the Captain, knowing his brother all too well, doesn’t even flinch realizing it was a prank all alone.  With the throwing of the flaming torch, meant to bring good luck the following season, the last pot is hauled the the crew and boat head to port to offload from another successful season.

On board the Wizard the mystery of the bottomless holding tank is finally revealed during the offload when a hole the size of a watermelon is discovered in the wall of the tank.  The hole had allowed the crab at that level to be dumped back into the open sea without the knowledge of the Captain and crew.  Each time the tank appeared close to full, the crab at that level would be released back into the Bering Sea causing the crew to wonder if their trip would ever be completed.  All in all with a catch of 2.5 million dollars and a payout of 68 thousand dollars per deckhand no one can really complain.

Sadly we learn about the fate of another fishing boat, the Alaska Ranger that sank just two weeks after the end of the crabbing season sending all 47 crewmen on board into the freezing sea where only 42 would be able to be rescued in time.

With only six days left in the Opilio crab season the race is on to fill the boats and meet the deadlines.  After pulling up an entire sting of blanks, Capt. Keith on the Wizard has managed to move his pots and after a twenty seven our soak, they are at least managing mediocre numbers.  The relentless work of pot hauling is also now combined with the responsibility of clearing the boat of ice.  As the freezing spray continues to build on the boat forming more and more ice the danger of the already dangerous job becomes much greater.  Even a few inches of ice can add thousands of pounds of ice to a boat making it unstable and a threat to roll over in the Bering Sea.  The task is not one that the crew enjoys, that is except for the greenhorn Crosby who seems to be enjoying everything about the trip so far.  After clearing the ice it’s time to get back to the pots and with three out of the four holds already full it seems like it won’t be long before the trip is over.  However, pulling up pots only half full of crab makes the filling of the last tank a much longer process than anyone imagined and this only lead to more tension on deck between the weary deckhands.

The Northwestern is also faced with the problem of freezing spray causing Captain Sig to refer to his boat as an “Ice Magnet”.  Hauling pots only a mile away from the approaching ice pack, the crew is forced once again to stack the pots on deck and try to keep up the good numbers in an area further south.  The entire process takes 36 hours and as much as the crew would like to keep fishing the same area, they realize losing the pots to the approaching ice would cost them thousands of dollars.

There’s lots more crab need to be caught aboard the Time Bandit where the Hillstrand brothers and their crew need to put close to two hundred thousand more pounds of crab on board in just 36 hours.  The tired crew is also up against building seas as well as fatigue when a large wave hits the boat and knocks the rope dangerously out of the block ending up around the greenhorn Shea.  Reacting quickly, however, he is able to escape and quickly return the rope back to the block narrowly missing an almost certain death as the weight of the pot falling would have easily taken him overboard as well.  As the tired crew continues to grind away without break it becomes apparent that the youngest Hillstrand, has been taking his own share of breaks as a perk of being the Captain’s son.

For the North American the season is finally winding down, and by all means has been a successful return into fishing after the boat’s three year hiatus.  Not nearly as successful as the crew had been hoping for, was the greenhorn nicknamed D-BO, who Captain Sten gracefully has to explain that he just wasn’t fit for crab fishing.  Regardless, there is no shame as D-Bo is well aware he was able to at least in part hold his own out on the Bering Sea.  While returning back to St. Paul to offload they also pause to reflect on the life of the brother of greenhorn Davin Nes, who was killed as the season started.  Jeff Nes had fallen from a stack of crab pots stacked four high on the deck of the Sea Warrior and perished.   Davin and his other brother Jonathan had flown home for the funeral just before the start of their season.   Sadly the world’s most dangerous occupation had claimed another life far before his time.

The Northwestern arrives at St. Paul harbor to offload only to find the freezing temperatures have quickly begun to turn the port in to a field of ice. Unwilling to risk becoming stuck in the ever thickening ice, Captain Sig attempts to leave as quickly as possible. With the ice surrounding the boat, even at full throttle the boat barely moves. Sig continues to alternate between forward and reverse trying to free up enough space to work the boat around towards the open ocean when a combination of strong winds pushing onto the ice pack towards the aft section of the boat begins to slowly spin the bow out to sea. Although the going is tough through the first thousand feet, once they clear the ice then can begin to attempt to rescue their gear from the rest of the ice pack which is drifting slowly southward and soon will be on top of the pots. Not willing to risk losing the gear which is worth aroung one hundred thousand dollars, Captain Sig manages to race back and the crew takes turns clearing ice and then hauling pots. To further frustrate the Norwegian captain the pots are full of crab, a good sign nonetheless, but with the ice pack descending on their location they will all have to be hauled and stacked to be moves to another area.

Over on the Wizard, tensions boil over between Captain Keith and brother Monty. Keith goes so far as to get in the face of an unsuspecting cameraman who attempts to continue recording long after the Captain orders the equipment off. This is far from the first time tempers have ignited in the Wizard’s wheelhouse. A while later and they call a truce putting family in front of fishing and begin turning their attentions to the hope that their new greenhorn is much more successful then the last. However their mood soon turns sour when the first seven crab pots come up with barely a crab.

Life on board the Time Bandit also shows tension between members of the same family. With Neil now retired from his duties on the deck, the brothers turn to Jonathan’s son to run the hydraulic crane. Fatigue and inexperience take it’s toll on the 25 year old Scotty Hillstrand and soon his sloppiness causes a 1000 pound pot to come off the launcher and almost injure one of the other deckhands. Luck also turns around the wrong way for the fishing as well as full pots are coming up loaded with only females and juveniles and have to be dumped at the rail. No sense wasting time sorting crabs that cannot be kept. AT the same time a wave sends the boat on a roll and the youngest Hillstrand loses control of the pot with the crane and it almost takes off the head of the boats greenhorn.

Lastly on the Cornelia Marie, Captain Phil checks in with his son Josh and lets him know he won’t be returning to the boat this season and more dramatically may not even be able to fish again. For a proud son who thought his father was invincible and would continue to fish into his seventies the news is heart wrenching. The blood thinners he is currently on to protect him from a life threatening complication also would make it unsafe to fish as even the slightest injury or wound would be too risky.

Each week we continue to receive many requests for information regarding employment on an Alaskan Fishing Boat. This article reprinted from Alaskan Division of Employment Security gives more information on the prospect.

Seafood and Fishing Jobs in Alaska

WHAT CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD FISHING VESSELS IN ALASKA NEED TO KNOW

Many stories have been told about people who, with no trouble whatsoever, landed a job as a crew member in Alaska’s fishing industry on a highliner fishing boat and made tons of money. There are published materials for sale which boast of lucrative jobs in canneries and on fishing boats. The reality is, that for every success, there are many failures. A prospective crew member’s chance for a profitable season will be enhanced by careful assessment of job openings and close attention to details regarding any job offer. During harvest seasons, prospective crew members must walk the fishing docks to follow up each word of mouth lead to speak with the skipper personally. The travel and waiting for such an opportunity can be costly, both physically and monetarily. Crew members rarely leave good jobs, so only a small percentage of hopefuls find their berth in this manner.

ADVISORY: Some of the reasons crew members leave should carry a warning to job seekers to proceed with caution. Commercial fishing is rated as one of the most hazardous occupations in America. Reputable boat operators rarely have serious mishaps, nor do they lose good crew members through misunderstandings. It is a good idea to find out why the departed crew member left. A vessel with numerous crew vacancies during the harvest season warrants investigation before new crew accept a job on it. Minimum wage laws do not apply to crew member jobs in the industry. However, certain federal and state laws concerning hiring of persons under the age of 18 do apply. Wages are often based on a share or percentage of harvest earnings. Newcomer deckhand earnings range from 1.5% to 10% of the adjusted gross catch, depending on location and type of fishery and the skills the worker possesses. Some vessels offer a daily rate from $50 to $100 instead of a percentage of the catch. Recent market conditions have caused some share rates to decline. CREW COSTS A crew member can be expected to purchase specialized apparel such as: wet weather gear $100 per set rubber boots $40 to $70 per pair gloves $2 to $12 per pair wrist covers or sleeves $5 per set sleeping bag $70 to $200 The fishing vessel owner/operator should provide other specialized gear required by the Coast Guard, such as a survival suit. Make sure the vessel has a good safety reputation. Crew members supply their own commercial fishing licenses. In 2000, commercial fishing license fees are $60 for a resident and $125 for a non-resident. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has a web site offering crew license information and purchase: http://www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us/license Many boats charge a share of the operating expenses to crew members. These expenses may include: food fuel bait ice PAY: In addition to fishing, crew members are expected to perform work on their vessel and its associated gear without additional pay for these activities. The daily rate or a share or percentage of the catch is considered pay for all work performed. New crew members are advised to obtain a signed work agreement or contract that clearly explains the pay and other entitlements before going to work! ACCOMMODATIONS: On board smaller vessels, the crew will eat, relax, and sleep with very little privacy. Toilet facilities on some vessels can be either non-existent or somewhat exposed to other crew members, while on others there is a shower and toilet for individual use. If privacy is important, a would-be crewmember should ask about these facilities. SAFETY Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. The possibility of injury is ever present in every aspect of the work. The lack of medical assistance in the event of injury or illness increases the hazard. Getting to the nearest clinic or hospital is totally dependent on the weather and availability of special transportation. The wait can be hours, or even days. Before accepting an offer of work, applicants should ask about the safety equipment and procedures aboard their intended vessel. Once hired, crew members must obey all safety rules. FISHING VESSELS Fishing vessels range from small skiffs of 20 feet to large factory trawlers of 300 feet or longer. The vessels may fish anywhere from near shore to 200 miles at sea. The larger river systems of the state also support skiff fisheries. In 1999, approximately 25,060 crew licenses were issued to fish commercially in Alaska waters. NEAR-SHORE VESSELS During the summer months, vessels that work near shore and concentrate on the herring and salmon fisheries comprise the largest portion of the fleet. The majority of these are smaller vessels such as gill-netters, purse seiners and hand and power trollers averaging in size from 20 to 60 feet. Depending on the fishery and the configuration of the vessel, the number of crew members varies from one to six. Most of these vessels are independently owned and operated. Obtaining employment on them is difficult. Replacement crew members are often family or are obtained through an industry association. Crew members are hired well before the season begins. Floating processors, referred to as “floaters,” also operate near shore. Floaters process seafood delivered from inshore fishers and usually rely on other motor vessels to move them from one location to another. Work on floaters may be paid by the hour rather than by crew share. OFFSHORE VESSELS A variety of larger vessels dominate the deeper offshore reaches of the coastal waters. The area or zone where fishing takes place is commonly referred to as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or the Fisheries Conservation Zone (FCZ), which extends from three to 200 miles offshore. Vessel size ranges from about 50 to over 300 feet in length. Most operate year round, targeting bottom fish or whitefish (referring to the flesh color) and shellfish. The primary gear types are trawl, pot and long-line. Factory trawlers are capable of harvesting and processing simultaneously. Corporations usually own the large vessels. Most are based out of California, Oregon and Washington, while a small number are based in Alaska. Vessels of this type are normally fully crewed before they depart their home port for the offshore fishing grounds of Alaska. Many of the offshore companies have developed recruitment efforts to hire workers in Alaska. For job seekers in Anchorage, the Anchorage Employment Service seafood office at 3301 Eagle Street is an excellent resource. Companies usually hire new workers as processors to work in the factory below deck and promote workers from these factory positions to work on deck as deckhands. The size of the vessel has little bearing on the number of fishers or deck crew required for the various fisheries. For example, a trawler of 160 feet in length can operate efficiently with a crew complement of five, which is about the same needed for a 58-foot purse seiner in the near-shore fishery. JOB OPPORTUNITIES Employers have job opportunities for crew who: are available to work the full season or contract period are physically able to stand and work long hours and move heavy objects get along well with other people in remote and often wet and cold conditions are ready for hard work, are not chronic complainers, and have a positive attitude follow directions and abide by safety rules Community seafood employment specialists can be contacted in the following local Alaska Job Center Offices: Lisa Good/Nelson San Juan, Anchorage Job Center, 3301 Eagle Street, Rm. 100 Dee Stelmach, YK Delta Job Center, Bethel, BNC Complex Pat Owens, Bristol Bay Job Center, Dillingham, 503 Wood River Rd. Sandra Harrel, Fairbanks Job Center 675 7th Ave. Sta. D Lisa Croft, Homer Job Center 270 W. Pioneer Ste. C Michael Hutcherson, Juneau Job Center 10002 Glacier Hwy Ste. 100 Ken Sirois, Peninsula Job Center, Kenai, 11312 Kenai Spur Hwy, Ste 2 Pam Chatham, Ketchikan Job Center 2030 Sea Level Dr., Suite 220 Maureen Butler, Kodiak Job Center 309 Center Street Victoria Erickson, Nome Job Center 179 E. Front St., Ste. 130 Norm Casagranda, Seward Job Center 809 2nd Ave. David Reid, Sitka Job Center 304 Lake St. Rm 101 Shannon Mahoney-Irish, Valdez Job Center State Ofc. Bldg. Rm 22

With Cornelia Marie Captain Phil Harris staying on land for the first time in seventeen years, he turns his boat and the entire million dollar operation over to the boats engineer and longtime friend, Murray. The entire crew is drained both physically as well as mentally by the time the offloading of their catch is complete and the boat returns to the fishing grounds. As for Phil he discovered that he is lucky to still be alive as a blood clot which formed in his leg traveled through his body and ended up in his lung. While his health is still in jeopardy, had the clot ended up blocking an artery while at sea it would have meant almost certain death. He is able to speak with both his boys as well which certainly provides a boost of everyones spirits.

Over on the Northwestern a lost anchor becomes an anything but routine chore out on the open waters. The anchor broke off during the last storm and along with it’s chain rests on the ocean floor and needs to be retrieved if they are to continue fishing. Edgar is able to put together a homemade grappling hook from some spare metal found on the boat. They then drag the hook over the ocean floor and with amazing luck manage to hook on the anchor chain right away. As they are bringing it up, Edgar attaches a line from the crane to help support the weight, however the boat starts drifting and the extra tension caused by the weight of the boat causes the line to snap. As they race t maneuver the boat and attach other lines to the five thousand dollar anchor the perilous ordeal turns into a four hour marathon. Eventually the anchor is rescued without injury to any of the crew.

On board the Wizard the crew is just starting to get some rest after 3 days of nonstop fishing, when they are awakened by an alarm. A quick inspection reveals a water piper has begun leaking spraying sea water used to in the holding tanks into the engine room bilges. If the leak cannot be repaired, the holding tanks will empty meaning a loss of all of the crab in the aft tanks and a loss of many of thousands of dollars. Reacting quickly Captain Keith is able to patch the leaking using some sheets of rubber and two large hose clamps. Afterwards it’s back to port to offload the crab as well as troublesome greenhorn Moi, whose replacement is already on his way to meet the boat.