It occurs to me that I didn't even attempt to blog after our last offload. Clearly a sign that I'm close to the end and the status quo simply continues. We were supposed to only be processing a few hundred tons this time out in a "partial" however in the perpetual spirit of "surprise! our office bought more fishing quota and we're out for a more than half full trip. If I hear one more person say "Just a few more days" I'll be throwing myself off the bow.
I realize we toss around a lot of lingo up here. Allow me to shed some light on the mystery that is commercial fishing.
A-season - mid January though April
B-season - June through September
Round Fish - fish that comes in the net, before processing
Cod End - front of the net, what actually holds the fish, up to 100 tons of fish, can cost up to $200,000
Over the Roller - see round fish
Fresh Fish - new blood in the crew
Live Tank - holding tanks for the round fish before it is sorted
A few more days - eternity
Product - end goal, see below products
Surimi - water, sugar, reject meat concoction to make a filler used in most meat products in American. I.E. fish sticks, chicken nuggets, imitation crab... cat food
Mince - REALLY crappy fillet with skin and tail
Roe - egg sacks, the supposed money-maker of A-season
PBO - Pin Bone Out (of the fillet)
Pin Bone - back bone
PBI - Pin Bone In (less money, crappy fillet)
PBI (B) - Pin Bone In, along with a minimal amount of parasite and skin
Deepskin - money-maker, meatier fillet
Off-Load - taking product off boat via conveyor belt and loading it in semi-trucks, this is when they give me the tape gun.
Back-Load - rigging pallets of packing fibers, food, and other supplies to the crane and stocking it in the boat through a bow hatch.
Trip - fishing excursion out of Dutch Harbor to fill hold with product
Crew Share - the individual % of crew % taken from total profit. Ranges from 2-3 for processors and raises .2 every 6 trips.
I realize we toss around a lot of lingo up here. Allow me to shed some light on the mystery that is commercial fishing.
A-season - mid January though April
B-season - June through September
Round Fish - fish that comes in the net, before processing
Cod End - front of the net, what actually holds the fish, up to 100 tons of fish, can cost up to $200,000
Over the Roller - see round fish
Fresh Fish - new blood in the crew
Live Tank - holding tanks for the round fish before it is sorted
A few more days - eternity
Product - end goal, see below products
Surimi - water, sugar, reject meat concoction to make a filler used in most meat products in American. I.E. fish sticks, chicken nuggets, imitation crab... cat food
Mince - REALLY crappy fillet with skin and tail
Roe - egg sacks, the supposed money-maker of A-season
PBO - Pin Bone Out (of the fillet)
Pin Bone - back bone
PBI - Pin Bone In (less money, crappy fillet)
PBI (B) - Pin Bone In, along with a minimal amount of parasite and skin
Deepskin - money-maker, meatier fillet
Off-Load - taking product off boat via conveyor belt and loading it in semi-trucks, this is when they give me the tape gun.
Back-Load - rigging pallets of packing fibers, food, and other supplies to the crane and stocking it in the boat through a bow hatch.
Trip - fishing excursion out of Dutch Harbor to fill hold with product
Crew Share - the individual % of crew % taken from total profit. Ranges from 2-3 for processors and raises .2 every 6 trips.
Our boat holds about 1,100 tons of finished "product" and we fully "off-load" this every time we come onto Dutch. This happens at the end of every "trip".
There's your Fishing-101 for Alaska. Not very glamorous but it's what we think about every morning when we wake up. Is there fish? How much? How many tons left? Lot of roe? Is back-load done?
We aren't the Deadliest Catch crew. We don't work 3 days on end but we do pull 16-hour shifts consistently, usually with some jokes and smiles to keep each other going. The money is not what it's fabled to be but works for a nomadic girl in her mid 20's with minimal bills.
There's your Fishing-101 for Alaska. Not very glamorous but it's what we think about every morning when we wake up. Is there fish? How much? How many tons left? Lot of roe? Is back-load done?
We aren't the Deadliest Catch crew. We don't work 3 days on end but we do pull 16-hour shifts consistently, usually with some jokes and smiles to keep each other going. The money is not what it's fabled to be but works for a nomadic girl in her mid 20's with minimal bills.
Happy Spring everyone!
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