Crewman’s Special – Fishermens News

Veteran Harvesters Focus on Training the Next Generation of Crew

Good crew members for commercial fishing boats come in all sizes and ages, with varied skill sets. But these days, with an overall labor shortage, finding the right crew can prove challenging for skippers getting ready for any number of directed fisheries in Alaska. “Not all crew work out and not every crew is the right fit for a particular boat, but just finding crew has been tough,” Linda Behnken, a veteran harvester who is the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) in Sitka, Alaska said. What with the fleet aging and the average commercial fisherman being 50 years of age, up nearly 10 years over the 1980s, entities ranging from ALFA to Alaska Sea Grant are working to increase training programs for anyone interested in crewing, be they a greenhorn or...

Navigate Commercial Maritime Financing in a Rising Rate Environment

Lingering post-pandemic challenges, supply chain issues, and pent-up demand has led to rising prices, resulting in a level of inflation not seen in 40 years. It seemed inflation might slow by the end of the summer with a drop in fuel prices. Unfortunately, the government’s September report on the Consumer Price Index showed inflation to be persistent. The Federal Reserve’s response has been a series of interest rate hikes in an attempt to cool this inflationary trend. In turn, borrowers are seeing rates increase on everything from business loans to home mortgages. Increasing rates mean higher loan payments. In this economy, it’s not surprising to feel concerned as the costs of borrowing rise. Many commercial maritime projects are financed. Whether buying new permits or planning vessel ...

Fishermen Sound Off on Modern Apparel

There they are on the television screen—images of flimsy little tents huddled together, flapping in the wind at Mount Everest’s base camp. One can’t help but wonder how these tiny, toy-like shelters can shield their occupants from the horrendous conditions on the Earth’s tallest mountain. The answer: technology. The research and testing that goes into perfecting those tents protect the climbers from hypothermia. And likewise, the sports apparel industry has spent plenty of time crafting the gear that protects commercial fishermen from the ravages of the mighty seas. Everything that fishermen wear, from head to toe, needs to fulfill the function of keeping them dry and comfortable. Commercial fishermen don’t wear puffy parkas—they need suits that repel water. They need to be able to p...