Alaska King Crab Fishing Jobs

The boats used for Alaska crab fishing jobs are between 12 and 75 meters (40 to 250 feet) in length and are equipped with hydraulic systems to lift the catch from the sea and onto the deck, the boats and the equipment aboard these vessels are designed to withstand the freezing weather of the Bering Sea. Each boat can stay out at sea for days or weeks at a time.

The traps or pots that are used to catch the crabs are a steel box-shaped trap consisting of a steel frame covered with a wire mesh, bait is placed in the inside, usually a herring or codfish, the pot is then sunk to the sea floor where the king crab reside. Alaska King Crab Fishing Jobs vessels may carry up to 300 pots on a single trip which are all placed in a straight line to make retrieval easier.

The king crab in the pots are sorted once they are brought to the surface, and any not meeting the regulation requirements are thrown back. The king crab are typically stored live in a holding tank until the boat reaches shore, where they are sold. If the weather becomes too cold, the live king crab may freeze and burst. If they are left in the tank for too long, they will harm and possibly kill each other, as they can be cannibalistic.

Having Alaska king crab fishing jobs are probably one of the most demanding types of fishing around as the season is short and the hours are long, It has become a very popular industry through the popularity of the Discovery Channel programme "deadliest catch".

The entry level Alaska crab fishing jobs position is that of a Deckhand or Greenhorn, The duties of a deckhand includes loading and unloading supplies, fish and fishing equipment by hand or using hoisting equipment. Preparing and setting nets and other fishing equipment. Removing the catch from the fishing equipment, measuring and sorting it and returning undersize or unwanted fish to the water. Storing or packing the catch in the holds with ice and/or salt (brine). Cleaning the vessel and fishing equipment. Fishing deckhands need to be self-motivated and strong both physically and mentally. They need the stamina to be able to work in dangerous conditions, while being self-disciplined and alert to their surroundings at all times.

So if you are looking for excitement by securing one of the Alaska King Crab Fishing Jobs, I would suggest you consider a number of important issues before you start applying:

What job will be suited to your qualifications and skills

What the working conditions are like

Whether you need any additional training before applying for work

Where exactly to look for fishing employment

How do you go about applying for a job

The types of licenses needed to captain a Fishing Vessel

Organizations you may need to make contact with

What obligations there are regarding licensing and paying catch royalties

The exact processes of the different methods of fishing

What equipment is needed to be part of the Alaska King Crab Fishing Industry

For further information on how to gain Alaska King Crab Fishing Jobs, please visit our website at http://www.fishing-jobs.com