Alaska Commercial Fishing Deckhand
Independent vessel owners (salmon seine, gillnet, longline, troll); placement help via ALFA and BBRSDA
Pays you
Amount varies
THERE IS NO WAGE — you are paid a 'crew share,' typically 1-10% of the net value of the boat's harvest, and you are not paid until the end of the season. The structure: the skipper takes roughly 35-40%, then FUEL, FOOD, BAIT AND OTHER BOAT EXPENSES ARE DEDUCTED OFF THE TOP before the remainder is split among crew. This is the deduction that matters and it is invisible in any recruiting pitch. Worked example: a five-man purse seiner catching $200,000 of salmon gives each deckhand a 10% share of about $20,000, less about $3,000 in expenses, leaving roughly $17,000 for the summer. Bunk and food aboard are covered but the food is charged back against the boat's expenses before your share is calculated — it is not free, it is deducted collectively. The sourced example nets about $17,000 for a summer season on a productive seiner. That same berth on a boat that misses the run can net close to zero, and there is no floor.
$500–$2,000 upfront to start
Crewing on a small independent fishing vessel for a salmon or longline season, paid a percentage of the boat's catch rather than a wage. It is the highest-variance option in this tier: a good boat in a good run pays exceptionally well and a bad one pays almost nothing.
- Term
- 1 mo–4 mo
- Housing
- Provided
- Airfare
- Not covered
- Selectivity
- Moderately competitive
- Age
- 18+
- Citizenship
- Any citizenship
Deadlines
- 2027 salmon seasonrollingRolling / no fixed deadline
Bristol Bay salmon runs late June to late July; Southeast troll and longline seasons are longer. Berths are arranged from roughly January through May; ALFA runs a crew training and placement program that places deckhands mostly on troll and longline vessels with some seine and gillnet berths. Showing up in Naknek or Sitka in June to walk the docks still works but is a gamble.
Verified 8/26/2026 · www.jobmonkey.com