Fishing has been important to Alaska's economy since the first cannery opened in 1878. Commercial fishing accounts for about 5 percent of Alaska's economy, according to the Alaska Humanities Forum. Commercial fishing is a dangerous and tough, yet potentially lucrative, job. The types of fishing boats in Alaska reflect the strong and diverse fishing industry.
Salmon Boats
In the United States, 95 percent of commercially caught salmon is from Alaska. Salmon boats catch five species of salmon in Alaskan waters: king, sockeye, coho, chum and pink. Salmon fishing boats come in three main types. Trollers use long trolling poles to pull weighted lines through the water, which hook the salmon. Trollers can be small, hand-operated boats or vessels more than 50 feet long.
Gillnetters set curtain-like nets perpendicular in the water to trap swimming salmon. The size of gillnetters is usually 30 to 40 feet long.
Purse seiners use a long net to encircle schools of salmon. The maximum allowed length of a purse seiner in Alaskan waters is 58 feet because it makes it easier to manage the nets, which can be nearly as large as the ship.
Crabbers
Crabbers drop steel pots with bait to catch Dungeness, king and snow crab. Lines attach the pots to buoys, and the crabbers return every few days to check the pots. Crab boats may be small, aluminum boats or ships of more than 100 feet in length. Crabbing is high paying but extremely dangerous work, because it takes place during the winter months, when crab harvests are high and weather is terrible.
Jig Fishers
A jig fisher uses hooks with lures that move in a jerky, vertical motion. Jig fishers can operate in both fresh and salt water. These boats fish with engines turned off, which saves in fuel costs. Jig fishing in Alaska is used mostly for cod, rockfish, lingcod and Pacific cod.
Trawlers
Trawlers tow a large net to engulf the fish and are used mostly for midwater fish, such as pollock, and bottomfish, such as flounder. Trawlers are usually large ships that have onboard processing facilities. A two-hour net tow can bring in 100 or more tons of fish. These boats can be offshore for weeks at a time, making the job challenging for the crew.
Longliners
Longliners use a long line laid on the bottom of the ocean to catch bottomfish, such as halibut, lingcod and rockfish. The lines are attached to buoys and usually left for 24 hours before being retrieved. These boats can be 90 to200 feet in length and usually have 20 to 30 crew members.
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