Fishers and fishing vessel operatorsFishers and fishing vessel operators catch and trap various types of marine life for human consumption, animal feed, bait, and other uses. (Aquaculture—the raising and harvesting, under controlled conditions, of fish and other aquatic life in ponds or confined bodies of water—is covered in the Handbook statement on farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers.) Fishing hundreds of miles from shore with commercial fishing vessels—large boats capable of hauling a catch of tens of thousands of pounds of fish—requires a crew that includes a captain, or skipper, a first mate and sometimes a second mate, a boatswain (called a deckboss on some smaller boats), and deckhands with specialized skills. The fishing boat captain plans and oversees the fishing operation—the fish to be sought, the location of the best fishing grounds, the method of capture, the duration of the trip, and the sale of the catch. The captain ensures that the fishing vessel is seaworthy; oversees the purchase of supplies, gear, and equipment, such as fuel, netting, and cables; obtains the required fishing permits and licenses; and hires qualified crew members and assigns their duties. The captain plots the vessel�s course, often using electronic navigational equipment such as autopilots, loran systems, and satellite navigation systems. However, traditional navigational equipment (for example, compasses, sextants, and charts) is still in use. Ships also use radar to avoid obstacles and utilize depth sounders to indicate the water depth and whether there is marine life between the vessel and sea bottom. Sophisticated tracking technology allows captains to better locate and analyze schools of fish. The captain directs the fishing operation through the officers� actions and records daily activities in the ship�s log. Upon returning to port, the captain arranges for the sale of the catch—directly to buyers or through a fish auction—and ensures that each crew member receives the prearranged portion of adjusted net proceeds from the sale of the catch. Some captains have begun buying and selling fish via the Internet, and as electronic commerce grows as a method of finding buyers for fresh catch, more captains may use computers. The first mate—the captain�s assistant, who must be familiar with navigation requirements and the operation of all electronic equipment—assumes control of the vessel when the captain is off duty. Duty shifts, called watches, usually last 6 hours. The mate�s regular duty, with the help of the boatswain and under the captain�s oversight, is to direct the fishing operations and sailing responsibilities of the deckhands, including the operation, maintenance, and repair of the vessel and the gathering, preservation, stowing, and unloading of the catch. The boatswain, a highly experienced deckhand with supervisory responsibilities, directs the deckhands as they carry out the sailing and fishing operations. Before departure, the boatswain directs the deckhands to load equipment and supplies, either by hand or with hoisting equipment, and to untie lines from other boats and the dock. When necessary, boatswains repair fishing gear, equipment, nets, and accessories. They operate the fishing gear, letting out and pulling in nets and lines, and extract the catch, such as pollock, flounder, and tuna, from the nets or the lines� hooks. Deckhands use dip nets to prevent the escape of small fish and gaffs to facilitate the landing of large fish. They then wash, salt, ice, and stow away the catch. Deckhands also must ensure that decks are clear and clean at all times and that the vessel�s engines and equipment are kept in good working order. Upon return to port, they secure the vessel�s lines to and from the docks and other vessels. Unless �lumpers� (laborers or longshore workers) are hired, the deckhands unload the catch. Large fishing vessels that operate in deep water generally have technologically advanced equipment, and some may have facilities on board where the fish are processed and prepared for sale. Such vessels are equipped for long stays at sea and can perform the work of several smaller boats. Some full-time and many part-time fishers work on small boats in relatively shallow waters, often in sight of land. Navigation and communication needs are vital and constant for almost all types of boats. Crews are small—usually, only one or two people collaborate on all aspects of the fishing operation, which may include placing gill nets across the mouths of rivers or inlets, entrapment nets in bays and lakes, or pots and traps for fish or shellfish such as lobsters and crabs. Dredges and scrapes are sometimes used to gather shellfish such as oysters and scallops. A very small proportion of commercial fishing is conducted as diving operations. Depending upon the water�s depth, divers—wearing regulation diving suits with an umbilical (air line) or a scuba outfit and equipment—use spears to catch fish and use nets and other equipment to gather shellfish, coral, sea urchins, abalone, and sponges. In very shallow waters, fish are caught from small boats having an outboard motor, from rowboats, or by wading or seining from shore. Fishers use a wide variety of hand-operated equipment—for example, nets, tongs, rakes, hoes, hooks, and shovels—to gather fish and shellfish; catch amphibians and reptiles such as frogs and turtles; and harvest marine vegetation such as Irish moss and kelp. Although most fishers are involved in commercial fishing, some captains and deckhands use their expertise in fishing for sport or recreational purposes. For this type of fishing, a group of people charter a fishing vessel for periods ranging from several hours to a number of days and embark upon sportfishing, socializing, and relaxation, employing a captain and possibly several deckhands. Related news articles Coast Guard rescues stranded fisherman - 16 Oct 2006 Saipan Tribune,The US Coast Guard conducted a sea and aerial search to locate a fisherman who was stranded for several hours on a boat in the waters between Saipan and Tinian ... 42 years later, fisherman finds boy's message in a bottle - 16 Oct 2006 ABC7Chicago.com,Clarendon Hills. Now fast forward 42 years to a few weeks ago when a fisherman hauled in his prize catch, an old, muddy ink bottle. Out ... Mates in swim for their lives - 16 Oct 2006 Melbourne Herald Sun,A FISHERMAN was almost entombed in a rapidly sinking boat before he and three others swam through shark-infested waters to a coral island off the Cairns coast. ... Body found near where fisherman was knocked off Queens jetty - Oct 15, 2006 Newsday,NEW YORK (AP) _ A body was pulled out of the Atlantic Ocean near where a man was swept into the water by a wave while fishing with friends a week earlier ... Fisherman dead, another hospitalized - Oct 14, 2006 Outer Banks Sentinel,One local fisherman is dead and another is in critical condition after being rescued by the Coast Guard about 20 miles off of Oregon Inlet on Thursday. ... Alec Merriman known as Mr. King Fisherman - Oct 14, 2006 Victoria Times Colonist,Those who read the Colonist and then the amalgamated Times Colonist know Alec Merriman as Mr. King Fisherman. This is because he ... Kundapur: Fishing Boat Capsizes Drowning Fisherman - Oct 13, 2006 Daijiworld.com,Kundapur, Oct 14: A fishing vessel capsized killing one at Patimargi shores near Gujjadi here on Friday October 13 morning. Ratnakar ... Fisherman finds floating body - Oct 9, 2006 Daily Telegraph,However, police cannot confirm the body is that of a 40-year-old Singaporean fisherman missing since his boat capsized nine days ago. ... Body found thought to be missing fisherman - Oct 9, 2006 ABC Regional Online,A body believed to be that of a missing fisherman has been found near Two Rocks, north of Perth. The man's body was discovered about ... Perth body identified as missing fisherman - Oct 9, 2006 The Australian,...wave swamped and capsized their boat. His body was discovered in the sea by a fisherman yesterday. Two of his companions were rescued ... Japanese Have Negative Image of Russia After Fisherman Shooting ... - Oct 9, 2006 MOSNEWS,The already negative image of Russia among the Japanese public turned worse in the wake of the fatal shooting of a Japanese fisherman by the Russian coast ... Fisherman arrested in gas terminal protest - Oct 12, 2006 Irish Examiner,Three local fishermen were arrested at an early-morning protest blocking Shell’s Corrib gas terminal site in Co Mayo, it emerged today. ... PWT Pro Tom Kemos Claims Day One Lead at Merc Championship - Oct 13, 2006 FishingWorld.com,The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail top qualifiers faced 22-degree temperatures when they rolled out of bed, and 29 when they aimed down the Missouri ... Cobble Hill fisherman rescued at sea the by US Coast Guard - Oct 11, 2006 Cowichan Valley News Leader,After spending two hours bobbing in a life raft in the cold seas off the Oregon coast a Cobble Hill tuna fisherman and his one-person crew were rescued by the ... Coast Guard Medevacs Fisherman - Oct 11, 2006 Military.comCorpus Christi, TX. - The Coast Guard medevaced a fisherman suffering from an allergic reaction off the fishing boat Scatterbrain last night, approximately 35 ... Divers search for fisherman knocked off Queens jetty into ocean - Oct 9, 2006 Staten Island Advance,AP. NEW YORK (AP) — Divers looked Monday for a man who was swept into the ocean by a wave while fishing with friends. Karl Heinzen ... Mexican Fisherman Net $3.8 Million For "Lost At Sea" Saga - Oct 12, 2006 All Headline NewsMexico City, Mexico (AHN)-Three Mexicans who spent nine months lost at sea are to be paid at least $3.8 million to turn their story into a movie. ... Ole Fisherman, Lions Club participated in Bethel-Tate homecoming ... - Oct 11, 2006 Community Journal North Clermont,Last Friday evening Ruth Ann and I were in the Homecoming parade in Bethel. We used our truck and our daughter and son-in-law's trailer for the Lions Club. ... More information on Fishers and fishing vessel operators from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Fishers and fishing vessel operators occupation Number of Fishers and fishing vessel operators in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Fishers and fishing vessel operators Working conditions for Fishers and fishing vessel operators Significant points for Fishers and fishing vessel operators Training requirements for Fishers and fishing vessel operators Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |