NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC-6

October 2006

A Sociocultural Assessment of Filipino Crew Members 

Working in the Hawaii-based Longline Fleet 

Stewart D. Allen and Amy Gough 

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

U.S. Department of Commerce 
About this document

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For further information direct inquiries to

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National Marine Fisheries Service 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

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Phone: 808-983-5386 

Fax: 808-983-2902 

___________________________________________________________ 

Cover photo courtesy of PIFSC’s Fishery Monitoring and Socioeconomics Division staff.
 

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

U.S. Department of Commerce

A Sociocultural Assessment of Filipino Crew 

Members Working in the 

Hawaii-based Longline Fleet 

Stewart D. Allen 

and 

Amy Gough 

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 

2570 Dole Street 

Honolulu, Hawaii 96822-2396 

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC-6

October 2006
 

 
 iii 

CONTENTS 

Introduction ...........................................................................................................................1 

 Filipino Laborers in Hawaii and the Global Seafaring Community..........................1 

 Overview of the Hawaii-based Longline Fleet..........................................................3 

Methods .................................................................................................................................4 

 Interviewers ...............................................................................................................5 

 Sampling....................................................................................................................6 

 Interview Procedures.................................................................................................7 

Results ...................................................................................................................................8 

 Manning Hawaii Longline Vessels with Filipino Crew............................................8 

 Procedures for Obtaining Crew .....................................................................8 

 Legal Issues ...................................................................................................11 

 Travel Patterns of Filipino Crew to Hawaii ..................................................12 

 Description of the Sample .........................................................................................15 

 Demographics................................................................................................16 

 Work Experience...........................................................................................19 

 

 Social Networks.........................................................................................................21 

 Interaction with Fellow Crew........................................................................22 

 Interaction with the Filipino Community in Hawaii .....................................25 

 Interaction with the Local Hawaii Business/Political Community ...............27 

Salary.........................................................................................................................29 

 Job Satisfaction..........................................................................................................31 

 Behavioral Intent Regarding Hawaii-Based Longline Employment.............33 

 Behavior Regarding Hawaii-Based Longline Employment ..........................35 

 Problems Faced in the Hawaii Longline Industry .....................................................36 

 Differences Among Pier Areas......................................................................39 

 Filipino Crew Opinions of Fishery Management......................................................40 

Filipino Crew Opinions of Strategies for Decreasing Bycatch .....................42 

 Filipino Crew Opinions of the Observer Program ........................................44 

Conclusions ...........................................................................................................................48 

 

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................51 

References .............................................................................................................................52 

 

INTRODUCTION 

This report describes a subset of the results from a 2003−2004 sociocultural study of 

fishermen in the Hawaii-based longline fleet. Explored here are the perspectives and 

experiences of Filipino fishermen working as crew in the Hawaii longline industry. 

The broader study was designed to compile a comprehensive social profile of the 

longline fishing industry of Hawaii and provide this information to decision-makers. The 

ethnically diverse makeup of longline industry participants in Hawaii and the dynamic nature 

of the industry highlighted the need for primary data on contemporary sociocultural 

characteristics. The longline industry has been heavily regulated with little primary data 

available for analysis of social and cultural impacts. 

Preliminary interviews with vessel owners and captains revealed that obtaining 

desirable crew was a considerable concern and posed a constraint to successful fishing 

operations; 75 percent of those interviewed identified obtaining desirable crew as a major 

problem and an additional 20 percent identified obtaining crew as a moderate problem. 

Filipino crew comprise a considerable, even dominant, portion of the current Hawaii longline 

labor pool. This research addresses (a) individual Filipino crew experiences, perspectives, and 

opinions of the Hawaii longline fleet; and (b) patterns and issues in the work experience based 

on differences in the ethnic background of the vessel owner and captain. The results should be 

useful in understanding on-board dynamics between captain and crew, as well as 

understanding issues associated with obtaining and retaining crew. 

In the course of searching for relevant literature, we came across anecdotal accounts of 

foreign crew but did not locate any systematic studies that described perceptions from a fleetwide perspective. Therefore, another purpose of the study is to encourage other systematic 

observations of issues and trends relevant to foreign fishermen. 

This report first provides a brief history of Filipino laborers in Hawaii and discusses 

their global role as international seafarers. Then we describe the Hawaii longline fleet, 

followed by study methods. The results section describes their contracts and salary intricacies, 

including legal issues and how crew are transferred to Hawaii longline vessels from the 

Philippines, the demographics of Filipino crew interviewed, social networks, job and life 

satisfaction, problems faced in the longline industry, and perceptions of fisheries management 

and regulations. A conclusions section contains implications for management of the longline 

fishery and suggestions for future research. 

Filipino Laborers in Hawaii and the Global Seafaring Community 

It is likely that Filipinos have been working in the Hawaii fishing industry for more 

than 100 years. Prior to the 1900s, Filipinos were hired as foreign workers aboard whaling 

vessels in Hawaii and Alaska. Significant numbers of Filipino laborers later migrated to 

Hawaii as inexpensive laborers working in sugar cane occupations. These Filipino laborers 

reflected most of the dominant ethnic groups and regions of the Philippines, including 
 2 

individuals of the Tagalog culture (often from the central region) as well as those from the 

northern Ilokano culture and the southern Visayan culture. 

The first Filipino plantation workers migrating to Hawaii were Tagalogs, with the 

initial 15 arriving in 1906, followed by those of Ilokano descent, and later those of Visayan 

descent. Hawaii sugar planters preferred to import Filipino laborers not only because they 

worked for low wages, but because they were considered U.S. nationals, not covered by 

exclusion laws barring importation of other Asian ethnic groups such as Japanese or Chinese. 

By the 1920s there were more than 10,000 Filipino workers in the plantation labor force. Most 

workers came from rural areas in the Philippines, where they had received little formal 

education (The Philippine History Site, 2005). 

Following World War II, more than 7,000 workers known as the “Sakada ’46” arrived, 

in many cases bringing their families. This group of workers served as the last, major 

organized Filipino migration to the United States. In later years, a different pattern of Filipino 

migration to the United States emerged, consisting of non-laborers or skilled professionals 

who joined their immediate families who had already migrated (The Philippine History Site, 

2005). 

Filipinos working in Hawaii and the rest of the U.S. constitute a small component of 

the country’s exported workforce. When President Marcos introduced the policy of laborexport in 1974 with Presidential Decree 442, the Philippines was struggling with the effects of 

rising unemployment (The Philippine History Site, 2005). Since then, Filipino overseas 

workers have become a large component of the country’s economy and culture, with the 

money sent home by workers currently comprising about 10 percent of the economy. Many 

institutions have emerged to coordinate overseas workers, including vocational training 

facilities, placement agencies, and governing bodies such as The Philippines Overseas 

Employment Agency (POEA). The POEA records economic and related data from Filipinos 

working overseas and provides resources and services, such as an employment contract1

 as 

well as mechanisms to protect the welfare of Filipino workers worldwide. 

According to the POEA, the number of Filipinos working overseas has increased 

steadily since the late 1990s, with the exception of 2003 (a result of external factors such as 

the SARS outbreak, US-Iraq crisis, and global recession). Despite this exception, the number 

of Filipino workers deployed overseas surpassed 900,000 in 2004. 

The majority of these overseas workers are land-based workers deployed to worldwide 

locations such as Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, UAE, and Kuwait.2

 Seafarers comprise only 

24 percent of Filipino laborers abroad, although in 2005 the Philippines was considered the 

largest worldwide supplier of seafarers. According to the International Shipping Federation 

(2000), the Philippines supplies 28 percent of the total 631,500 seafarers onboard 

international vessels. The number of seafarers deployed from the Philippines is increasing 

markedly, from 216,031 seafarers in 2003, to 229,002 in 2004. In the first half of 2005, 

 

1

 This contract protects only those deployed after June 2002. 

2

 These locations were the top five ranking destinations of Filipino overseas new hire employees in 2004. 
3 

113,500 workers were deployed, reflecting an 8.5 percent increase over the first half of 2004. 

Seafarers include not just fishermen, but laborers on cargo vessels, cruise ships, and other 

commercial vessels. 

In 2004, the International Seafarers Action Center (ISAC) surveyed 1,000 Filipino 

seafarers employed in a variety of seagoing occupations, receiving responses from 850.3

Forty-two percent said they chose seafaring as their profession because of the high salary; an 

additional 14 percent cited supporting their family. One quarter of seafarers reported 

dissatisfaction with their work; problems included salary-related issues, discrimination, lack 

of medical attention, and lack of opportunity for career advancement (ISAC 2004). Eleven 

percent reported non-payment of their contract-stipulated salary, while another 10 percent 

cited illegal salary deductions. Seventeen percent experienced excessive collection of fees by 

manning agencies. At least 11 percent reported that their families suffered from delayed 

remittances. In addition to such financial problems, other sources of complaints included 

discrimination because of nationality (reported by 26 percent), religion (20 percent), and age 

(15 percent). Nearly one-quarter (22 percent) said they had not received necessary medical 

attention. 

Thus another reason for studying Filipino longline crew and assessing job satisfaction 

was to better understand working conditions and the workers’ perceptions of how they are 

treated by longline owners and captains. 

Overview of the Hawaii-based Longline Fleet 

The Hawaii-based longline fishery, which lands the vast majority of the Hawaii 

commercial catch, has been a limited entry fishery with a cap of 164 permits since 1994. 

About 110−120 vessels were active during the time of the study. The longline fleet consists of 

vessels ranging from 50 to 110 feet in length, nearly all home ported at three Honolulu piers. 

Vessels are all U.S. flagged and generally fish with a captain and a crew of three to five 

people. In 2003, these vessels took a total of 1,216 trips, constituting 14,560 sets of fishing 

using 29 million hooks (Ito and Machado, 2004). 

 

Since the growth of the Hawaii longline industry beginning in the 1980s, many vessel 

owners arrived in Hawaii from outside fisheries. In the 1980s and 1990s, many vessels came 

from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic. Because so many owners relocated to the Hawaii 

longline fishery, a great degree of diversity exists among individuals and vessels. At the time 

of the study, roughly one-third of the owners were Vietnamese-Americans, one-third KoreanAmericans and one-third Euro-Americans. 

Hawaii-based longline vessels have traditionally targeted bigeye tuna (Thunnus 

obesus) and secondarily yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). In 2003, the industry landed 

100,000 bigeye and 70,000 other tuna. Also important was the catch of swordfish (Xiphias 

 

3

 Throughout this report we will compare our findings to those from the ISAC study to describe similarities and 

differences between the seafarers and the Hawaii longline crew. 
4 

gladius), which began developing in the late 1980s and expanded significantly from 1990-

1992. Since that time, nearly all of the Vietnamese-American longline fishermen targeted 

swordfish. In 2002, NMFS took measures that resulted in the closure of the Hawaii-based 

longline swordfish fishery due to interactions with threatened and endangered sea turtles 

(National Marine Fisheries Service, 2001a). 4 As a result, Vietnamese-American owners either 

converted their boats to fish for tuna or moved them to California, from where they could still 

target swordfish (until that fishery was subsequently closed in 2004). 

Hawaii-based longline vessels fish both inside and outside of the U.S. Exclusive 

Economic Zone (EEZ; an area extending from 3 to 200 nautical miles offshore). Outside the 

EEZ, more than 3,000 longline vessels with homeports in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and other 

countries also target or interact with the same species. In the late 1990s, the Hawaii longline 

industry constituted 7% of Pacific pelagic species landed by longline vessels, and less than 

1% of the total landings of all Pacific pelagic species (National Marine Fisheries Service, 

2001b). 

The longline industry provides fresh, whole fish to the market. The most significant 

distributor for all types of fish landed in Honolulu is the local fish auction, a unique service 

not available to fishermen in many other areas. A majority of longline vessels sell directly to 

the fish auction, which is located adjacent the longline docks and where fish are purchased by 

export wholesalers and local retailers. As fish are graded, buyers purchase fish immediately 

by the piece, from the auction floor. 

The importance of Hawaii’s commercial fishing industry is best described in terms of 

the economic value of the catch. Despite low landings in weight relative to other major U.S. 

ports, the fish landed have high economic value, reflecting strong market demand. Since 1992, 

Honolulu has frequently remained within the top 10 U.S. ports in economic value; in 2003, 

for example, the port of Honolulu ranked just 43rd in quantity of fish landed (17.8 million 

pounds), but 10th in value ($41 million; National Marine Fisheries Service, 2004). 

A consistent issue for longline vessel owners is obtaining and retaining qualified 

individuals to serve as crew on vessels. The composition of crew is highly dynamic. Some 

owners hire locally-based crew of the same ethnicity as the owner, but at the time of the study 

the vast majority consisted of laborers from the Philippines, supplemented by crew from the 

Republic of Kiribati, Indonesia, and the Federated States of Micronesia.5

 

METHODS 

The data presented in this report constitute a subset of findings from a broader 

sociological study of the Hawaii-based longline industry. Researchers obtained information 

 

4

 Earlier, in 2001, NMFS had issued and subsequently extended an emergency interim rule that implemented 

temporary measures to avoid the likelihood of jeopardy to sea turtles and reduced adverse effects to the shorttailed albatross (66 FR 31561; 66 FR 63630). 

5

 Individuals from the Federated States of Micronesia are generally not hired as foreign or temporary laborers, as 

they are granted access to reside in and work in Hawaii. 
5 

from 234 individuals, primarily longline vessel owners, captains, and crew, between March 

2003 and October 2004. This sample represented about 50 percent of vessel owners and 

captains and about 65 percent of Filipino crew involved in the industry at that time. 

Information was obtained from one or more fishermen on 70 percent of the active vessels. Out 

of the 234 individuals, 145 were Filipino laborers working as crew. 

Because the study was conducted by University of Hawaii employees with University 

funding, the study required review by the University’s Committee on Human Studies. On 

November 1, 2002, the project was determined to be exempt from Department of Health and 

Human Services regulations on research with human subjects. A waiver also was obtained to 

the signed informed consent procedure, but all fishermen were informed about the study, uses 

of the information, confidentiality, and other aspects of the study and their involvement. 

Interviewers 

All of the interviews were conducted by the same interviewer with the assistance of an 

interpreter. The interpreter was necessary for talking to the fishermen who spoke little or no 

English. However, even fishermen who were fluent or conversational in English could 

communicate some sentiments more effectively in their native language. 

The interpreter also functioned as a community liaison whose presence and interest in 

the fishermen helped to create a more comfortable atmosphere even when interpretation was 

not required. This role was extremely valuable because of the nature of the research, which 

required fishermen to trust the interviewers and speak openly. The first time fishermen were 

approached to discuss their experiences, some were wary and would not answer particular 

questions. Over time, as they grew familiar with the interviewer and interpreter, they spoke 

more openly about a wider range of topics. 

The interviewer and interpreter also used participant observation as a study method. 

Because the interviewer and interpreter/community liaison visited the dock areas 

approximately twice a week for nearly two years, they became well-known fixtures to the 

Filipino crew. Over time, the interviewer and interpreter came to be perceived by many crew 

members as part of the longline community because of their consistent presence at the docks 

and their willingness to talk with the fishermen. Informal conversations with crew, captains 

and owners, agents, and other pier area visitors were possible because of this continuous 

presence. The interviewer and interpreter also were present for many social events and other 

pierside happenings, expanding their opportunities to observe interactions among crew and 

other individuals. 

As the researcher and interpreter became more familiar to many Filipino crew, the 

fishermen often asked questions and voiced concerns outside the scope of this research. Many 

times, fishermen having restricted social networks outside the pier area requested information 

or assistance from the researcher and interpreter. In some cases this included obtaining 

personal items (e.g., clothes, hats, wireless telephones, etc), obtaining preferred ethnic food or 

ingredients, receiving mail on behalf of crew (who generally do not have a mailing address), 
6 

contacting the Filipino consulate in Hawaii on behalf of Filipino individuals, and frequently 

assisting with acculturation or language questions where relevant.6

 The Filipino 

interpreter/community liaison, in particular, came to be known as a community member 

through his performance of such tasks. However, the researchers did not participate in illegal 

activities (such as requests to transport Filipinos outside the dock area), tactfully explaining 

that they could not do this. 

Sampling 

A stratified quota sampling procedure was used to obtain representation from the 

various pier area and laborers on board vessels owned by individuals of varied ethnicity 

(primarily Vietnamese-American, Korean-American, and Euro-American). As the study 

progressed, researchers became aware of social networks within these strata and attempted to 

ensure that representatives from each major social network were interviewed. Once an 

interview was completed, respondents were asked to suggest additional fishermen with whom 

researchers could speak. 

In general, owners and captains were interviewed early in the study, while Filipino and 

other crew were contacted later. This was done so the owners and captains would be familiar 

with the study and researchers and not wonder who was attempting to talk to their crew. This 

strategy was largely successful; nearly all owners allowed crew on their vessels to be 

interviewed. 

In many cases, previously interviewed crew members introduced the interviewer to 

other crew, assuring them that the interviewer “was ok.” Filipino crew who had already been 

interviewed also served as a conduit to newly arrived crew. Only a handful of Filipino crew 

who were asked to participate refused to do so; some were reluctant initially but then 

participated later. In several cases, crew members working on vessels where the owner did not 

approve of their being interviewed were interviewed while the crew were socializing on 

another vessel, or were interviewed after they left Hawaii and then returned to work on a 

different vessel. One of the agents who worked for a manning company and spent much time 

at the piers initially refused to let that company’s crew members be interviewed, but later 

relented. 

Interviewing began with frequent trips to the three pier areas to familiarize the crew 

with the researcher and interpreter. After explaining the purpose of the research to available 

crew, preliminary discussions took place, typically in small groups. Through these group 

discussions, interview topics were identified and verified. As the fishermen became more 

familiar with the researcher and interview, individual interviews were conducted, in many 

cases across multiple meetings. 

During the course of this research, a number of Filipino fishermen completed their 

work contracts, went back to the Philippines and subsequently returned to the Hawaii longline 

 

6

 Where cost was involved crew paid for their appropriate items. 
7 

industry. Fishermen sometimes returned to their initial vessel and location but sometimes 

returned to a different pier or vessel. Returning crew provided a unique opportunity to gather 

information, particularly of a retrospective and comparative nature. In cases where individuals 

changed from their initial vessel, these fishermen often later revealed additional information 

regarding their previous experiences. In some cases, information that surfaced only after 

returning was explained by the fishermen as a difference in their own perception as a result of 

their reflection on the earlier experience. In other cases, fishermen explained that they were 

wary to reveal such information at a prior meeting. Project data bases were supplemented 

accordingly.7

 

Because Filipino crew were confined to the immediate pier area where the vessel was 

docked, they were essentially a captive audience. Researchers therefore did not have the 

problem present when attempting to contact the highly mobile, itinerant crew population 

characterizing some fleets. Because the crew were responsible for working on the vessel 

during the day, interviews were conducted in the afternoon or evening. This ensured that all 

fishermen were available. In some cases, Filipino crew members were less accessible because 

of additional constraints on leisure time, perhaps imposed by a vessel owner or simply 

because of an individual’s social habits. Some vessel owners did not permit visitors, or 

females, on board, while others did not permit crew to leave. In each of these cases 

appropriate alternatives for contact were developed. 

Interview Procedures 

Because the study was ethnographic in nature and did not involve formal survey 

methods, standardized questionnaires were not used.8 Instead, the study provided the 

interviewer and interpreter with a general list of discussion topics and they attempted to 

discuss most of them during the course of the interviews. This approach was consistent with 

the exploratory nature of the study. 

Many of the interviews were not really interviews but a series of “talk story” sessions 

undertaken when fishermen were in port and available. As a result, the information obtained 

from individuals was continuously updated until all relevant topics had been covered and the 

accuracy and breadth of responses were deemed sufficient for analysis. Interviews with a 

single crew member generally were supplemented with information obtained through group 

discussions. Similarly, many discussions were followed up with multiple contacts over time, 

increasing the accuracy and breadth of the responses. 

Fishermen were encouraged to address social and cultural aspects of longline fishing 

and the meaning of those characteristics to their lifestyles. This typically included information 

about their background, how they came to be involved in the fishery, the nature of their job, 

 

7

 All data and opinions reflect that of an interviewee’s experience on the first vessel during the time of this 

research. Supplemental information is provided in the form of anecdotal information. 8

 We did attempt to get a common set of information for demographic variables such as age, religion, level of 

education, marital status, and fishing experience, as well as a limited number of attitudinal variables. However, 

the bulk of the quantitative data came from coding qualitative information into relevant categories. 
8 

what they like most and least about their work, perceptions of the industry, and opinions 

regarding previous fishing experiences. Discussion included perceptions of the role and 

importance of Filipino crew in the Hawaii longline industry, comparisons of work experience 

in Hawaii and international fisheries, explorations of social networks in Hawaii, and concerns 

about the Hawaii-based longline industry and its management. 

 

Filipino crew often spoke at length about their perceptions of and experiences with the 

many issues surrounding on-board vessel operations. Fishermen also included their opinions 

of fishery management and regulations, which is reported as it was explained by fishermen 

(including any confusion evident about fishery issues and policies). 

RESULTS 

The results are presented in four sections: (a) background and procedures for manning 

a Hawaii longline vessel with Filipino crew; (b) description of the sample, including both 

demographics and the social networks; (c) job and life satisfaction; and (d) perceptions of 

fishery regulations and management. The results describe information obtained through 

individual interviews as well as from participant-observation. All information depicts the 

situation of Filipino crew working on Hawaii-based longline vessels between 2003 and 2005.9

Manning Hawaii Longline Vessels with Filipino Crew

During the study, crew entry patterns to the Hawaii longline fleet were highly dynamic, 

reflecting extreme measures of attempted entry on behalf of both crew and vessel owners. A 

general sentiment of confusion and frustration emerged from Filipino crew and vessel 

operators as they explained the obstacles in foreign laborer entry. Considering the significant 

costs of the process of entering Hawaii, patterns of entry used during the course of the study 

are described in detail. The following includes a description of previous and present trends in 

obtaining foreign laborers for employment on Hawaii longline vessels. 

Procedures for Obtaining Crew 

Vessel owners interested in hiring Filipino crew contact one of four agencies in the 

Philippines, typically through the agencies’ Hawaii-based representatives, and pay a flat fee 

ranging from $700 to $1500 per crew member. During the study, four manning agencies 

served as liaisons between vessel owners and Filipino nationals seeking fishery employment: 

Metro Shipping; Mindanao Sealink; Pescadores International Inc.; and Una Shipmanning 

Corporation. The agency representative in the Philippines generally selects the crew member, 

although vessel owners can request a specific individual or someone having particular skills, 

such as a welder or mechanic. 

 

9

 Interviews were completed by October 2004; however, monitoring of the Filipino crew situation through 

periodic group meetings continued throughout 2005. 
9 

Hawaii longline vessel owners of particular ethnic categories typically used the same 

agency. Vietnamese-American fishermen used only Metro Shipping Agency and Pescadores 

International. Korean-American individuals generally used Una Shipmanning Agency. As that 

agency decreased its activity during the study, however, the Korean-American vessel owners 

subsequently began using Metro Shipping Agency and Pescadores International. EuroAmericans predominantly used Mindanao Sealink Incorporated, with a limited number using 

Metro Shipping Agency, and at least one using Pescadores International.10 

Agent responsibilities vary depending on the agency’s procedures. To expedite the 

hiring process of Filipino crew, agencies generally used Hawaii-based representatives. In 

2003, Metro Shipping Agency had one locally based representative, who resigned in 2004. No 

formal replacement was appointed until 2005. From 2003 to 2005 Una Shipmanning had a 

particularly active representative who visited the Filipino crew at the docks and maintained 

contact with vessel owners.11 From 2003 to 2005, Pescadores International had one Hawaii 

representative who was extensively involved with some vessel owners and crew. During the 

course of the study, Mindanao Sealink Incorporated did not use a Hawaii-based representative. 

Filipino fishermen aspiring to work on a fishing vessel complete hiring documentation 

at the respective agency office in the Philippines. Agencies require fishermen to possess a 

valid passport and a Seaman’s book, which is obtained by relevant education, training, or 

workshops. The Seaman's Book identifies the holder as a seafarer. To get a Seaman's Book 

(Seafarer's Identification and Record Book) they need educational records (high 

school/college), a Certificate of Authentication and Verification (academic records), birth 

certificate, passport-size photos, additional clearance (for Seaman Visa), and a certificate 

showing they have completed at least a basic safety course from an accredited maritime 

training center. Some agencies provide assistance in meeting these requirements. 

The increasing popularity of employment as crew forces applicants to wait a long time 

prior to placement on a vessel. If selected, the individual is provided with his assignment and 

the name of the captain and vessel. Some agencies place fishermen in locations other than 

Hawaii; fishermen can identify a preferred location and can reject a placement. Upon 

acceptance, travel plans are made by the agency, which also provides Filipino fishermen with 

a guarantee letter. The letter certifies that in the event an individual is refused entry, the 

agency guarantees to pay the return expenses.12

Depending on agency procedures, crew may or may not pay an application and 

placement fee of up to $100 at any step of the process. In some cases, fees to cover placement 

are deducted from the crew member’s salary over the initial months of longline employment 

and remitted to the agency. In addition to these costs, many Filipino crew reported leaving 

 

10 Agencies required that crew on board a vessel must all be affiliated with the same agency. When agencies 

could no longer obtain adequate crew, vessel owners would send home crew represented by the former agency 

and replace the entire crew with individuals represented by the newly hired agency. 11 As this agency decreased its activity and ultimately stopping manning Hawaii longline vessels, the number of 

crew affiliated with this agency declined, as did the involvement of the local representative. 12 A number of vessel owners expressed concern at (a) having to reimburse the agency for individual repatriation 

expenses; or (b) having to pay rising agency fees affiliated with repatriation. 
10 

previous employment (formal or informal) to apply for seaman status and obtain commercial 

fishing employment. In many cases, it was necessary to reside near an agency office while 

obtaining placement because the process required multiple visits to the agency, training 

workshops, or other procedural demands. For individuals living far away, travel (often by 

boat, sometimes taking days) to these offices was costly and often inefficient as well as 

resulting in missed appointments or deadlines. 

 

Filipino crew working on a Hawaii longline vessel receive a copy of their one-year 

employment contract stating the terms and condition of work prior to leaving the Philippines. 

Regardless of the issuing agency, contracts typically state the salary, work hours, benefits, and 

consequences of early termination. 

In practice, the contract operates as a procedural tool, used mainly to place a crew 

member on a Hawaii longline vessel. The actual terms and conditions of work are determined 

not by contract language but by negotiations with the vessel owner, captain, and individual 

crew member, sometimes with assistance from a local agency representative. A number of 

crew commented on the discrepancies between the contract and actual employment conditions 

but typically viewed these differences as favorable. 

Each of the four agencies specifies the starting minimum salary for a crew member. 

Nearly all contracts establish a base rate, determined primarily by the agency. In some cases, 

vessel owners opt to pay Filipino crew in shares of landings or of profit earnings, which is 

typical of non-foreign crew arrangements. Other vessel owners establish an incentive-based 

scale (X dollars per Y pounds). The latter system often increases disproportionately, 

providing greater incentive rates at higher levels of landings than at lower levels. The salaries 

stated in the contract often do not reflect the salaries actually received. Actual salaries reflect 

agency policies, norms of the vessel owner (often consistent within ethnicity), pier location, 

and individual vessel owner preferences. In most cases, wages are paid directly to the crew 

member but sometimes a portion is paid to the agent, who then remits the salary to the 

Philippines. 

Cases where Filipino crew did not complete their one year of employment on an 

assigned vessel exist for several reasons. Crew may voluntarily return to the Philippines 

because of dissatisfaction with the job or personal matters.13 Vessel owners reserve the right 

to cancel a contract and send a crew member home at any time, which happened in a limited 

number of cases during the study. Vessel owners are responsible for travel expenses of crew 

departing prior to the specified termination of a contract. Also, a crew member may transfer 

 

13 During the course of this research, a number of crew members traveled home for the death of a family member. 

In most cases, vessel owners offered the crew member a plane ticket home or financial compensation to cover 

funeral or related costs. Those departing generally reported the desire to take part in the traditional extensive (40-

day) funeral process. 
11 

vessels at any time as long as both vessels are under the same ownership.14 This practice was 

usually evoked by a request from the vessel owner, not the crew member. 

Legal Issues 

The legal intricacies of obtaining Filipino crew on Hawaii longline vessels has been a 

confusing and frustrating legal issue for many crew and vessel owners (and the researchers). 

Many crew and vessel owners expressed concern over the future of these fishermen in Hawaii. 

It can be difficult to distinguish among changes in law, changes in policy, changes in legal or 

policy interpretation (by vessel owners or the Department of Homeland Security Agency), or 

changes in enforcement procedures of existing laws or policies. 

To enter the Hawaii longline industry, Filipino crew request the assistance of their 

respective manning agency in the Philippines to obtain a limited entry, C1 visa. According to 

the Department of Homeland Security, C1 visas are generally used for: 

‘(C) an alien in immediate and continuous transit through the United States, or 

an alien who qualifies as a person entitled to pass in transit to and from 

the United Nations Headquarters District and foreign countries, under the 

provisions of paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of section 11 of the Headquarters 

Agreement with the United Nations (61 Stat. 758);’ or ‘(D)(i) an alien 

crewman serving in good faith as such in a capacity required for normal 

operation and service on board a vessel, as defined in section 258(a) (other 

than a fishing vessel having its home port or an operating base in the United 

States), or aircraft, who intends to land temporarily and solely in pursuit of his 

calling as a crewman and to depart from the United States with the vessel 

or aircraft on which he arrived or some other vessel or aircraft’ (Immigration 

and Naturalization Service, 2000) 

In 2002, prior to the study, concerns over entry patterns warranted issuance of a letter 

from the (then) Area Port Director, stating that fishermen arriving in Honolulu with C visas 

were: 

“...not permitted to land temporarily while the vessel is in a U.S. port. 

However, until further notice, a seaman who arrives in the United States to join 

such vessel, who is in possession of a valid “C” nonimmigrant visa, will be 

admitted for a limited period of time to transit through the United States to join 

the vessel in the appropriate U.S. port. Once such a seaman has joined your 

vessel, you are advised that his nonimmigrant status is considered terminated 

and he is to be detained on board the vessel for the duration of his presence in 

the United States.” (Immigration and Naturalization Service, 2000) 

 

14 Legalities surrounding the actual intricacies of crew transfer are unclear; however. in practice, crew are 

transferred outside the EEZ, requiring both vessels to transit 200 miles offshore, instead of having the crew 

member walk from one vessel to the other. Vessel owners also complete appropriate documentation with the 

Department of Homeland Security. 
12 

This letter led many vessel owners to understand that problems in obtaining Filipino crew 

were temporarily solved. Shortly after this, however, Filipino crew were denied entry at the 

Honolulu airport, or in some cases deported on attempted entry. 

When Filipino crew arrive in Honolulu, Department of Homeland Security officials 

document the name and assigned vessel of each individual crew member. Similar inspections 

are performed on the arrival of a fishing vessel after each trip.15 Filipino crew reside on the 

vessel and do not receive a ‘shore pass’ to leave the pier area. There is no security guard or 

gate at all three pier areas; enforcement by the Department of Homeland Security consists of 

periodic spot-checks, ensuring that Filipino crew are present on their respective vessels. 

During these inspections, the original crew lists are used to verify that crew are physically 

present on the vessel. 

If a crew member is absent during an inspection, the Department of Homeland 

Security issues a fine to the vessel owner. Vessel owners report this fine to be $5000, 

although some noted that in mid-2005 the amount increased to $6500. If a crew member is 

required to leave the pier area for any reason, the vessel owner is responsible for purchasing a 

‘parole.’ Costing $60, these paroles allow one crew member to leave the pier for a specified 

length of time, under supervision of the vessel owner. Paroles are commonly used for medical 

or dental appointments, and in 2005 became standard when a crew member accompanied a 

vessel to dry dock.16 

In about July 2004, The Department of Homeland Security fingerprinted a number of 

Filipino crew in the Hawaii longline industry. Later, in 2005, the agency began photographing 

individual crew members. Photographs were taken during routine inspections, such as when 

vessels arrived from the fishing grounds. The name and vessel assignment of a crew member 

was written on a piece of paper and held in front of the individual being photographed. As of 

June 2005, not all crew had been photographed. 

Travel Patterns of Filipino Crew to Hawaii 

During the study, difficulties faced by Filipino fishermen trying to enter Hawaii and 

work on a longline vessel were discussed at length. For many, these concerns dominated 

opinions of the industry, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction, and had a significant impact on 

decisions regarding the future. 

Prior to the study, Filipino crew had been present in Hawaii for roughly 5 years. 

Reportedly, after the first few Filipino crew overcame initial barriers, fishermen were able to 

be flown directly to Honolulu International Airport. A number of Filipino crew and vessel 

 

15 Fishermen report that for these inspections to occur, the captain must telephone the Department of Homeland 

Security (stated by fishermen as ‘Immigration’) and inform them of the time and place of arrival. Researchers 

note that these officials generally come to the pier immediately or within a few hours. 

16 Crew members regularly accompany a vessel during periods of dry dock when carried out in Hawaii. Crew 

members are responsible for simple repairs, painting, or other maintenance tasks during dry dock. It is the 

owner’s discretion to determine if additional pay is provided for these tasks. 
13 

owners interviewed prided themselves at being associated with one of the first longline 

vessels to hire Filipino crew. 

 I was the first Filipino to come to Hawaii through Los Angeles airport. I led the way. 

In early 2003, Filipino fishermen intending to work on a Hawaii-based longline vessel 

flew directly from Manila, Philippines to Honolulu, Hawaii. Travel arrangements were made 

by the agency, often requiring extensive collaboration with the vessel owner. Agency 

representatives were then responsible for escorting foreign fishermen from the airport to the 

pier area, because entry with a C1 or C1/D visa was not permitted without an escort. If no 

agency representative was present or operating in Hawaii, this task was assumed by the vessel 

owner. Either party was required to purchase a $60 ‘parole’ to escort the crew member to the 

dock area. 

When a number of Filipino crew were denied entry at the Honolulu airport, agency 

representatives and vessel owners sought alternative entry points. Filipino crew then began 

entering the United States through Los Angeles International Airport, continuing on to 

Honolulu International Airport. In late 2003, however, Filipino seafarers carrying C1 or C1/D 

visas were denied entry at Los Angeles. To overcome this obstacle, Filipino crew instead 

began traveling to Hawaii via American Samoa, which accepted individuals carrying a valid 

C1/D visa.17 Longline vessels traveled to American Samoa to pick up these crew. Filipino 

crew were somewhat satisfied with this entry pattern, although the travel was strenuous, 

usually taking two days and an extremely indirect route from the Philippines to American 

Samoa. Travel routes included up to seven stops before reaching American Samoa, sometimes 

including the Marshalls, Australia, and New Zealand. A number of Filipino crew reported not 

having been aware of this, and not being adequately prepared financially for food and other 

necessities while en route. Vessel owners also were dissatisfied with this entry pattern 

because of costs, which now included fuel for the lengthy journey to American Samoa, and 

the corresponding lost fishing time. 

Vessel owners soon sought other alternatives. One notable—and short lived—

alternative tested early in 2004 was picking up Filipino crew in the small island nation of the 

Republic of Kiribati (Kiribati). Located considerably closer to Oahu, Kiribati provided a 

cheaper destination for picking up Filipino crew. Ironically, the only accessible route to 

Kiribati included one weekly flight that originated from Honolulu, so crew members flew to 

Kiribati via Honolulu where they remained “in transit.” In some cases, ‘transit’ lasted a few 

days, so crew members were often housed with the local agent representative in Honolulu 

while awaiting the departing Kiribati flight. They then flew from Honolulu to Kiribati while 

vessel owners traveled by vessel from Honolulu to Kiribati, where the crew joined their vessel. 

Vessel owners expressed satisfaction with picking up crew in Kiribati (instead of 

American Samoa) because they incurred fewer expenses. However, shortly after a number of 

Filipino crew had entered via that route, the Kiribati government reportedly requested that 

vessel owners no longer pick up Filipino crew there, but instead hire Kiribati nationals. Two 

 

17 A number of Filipino crew entering Hawaii in this manner claim that a valid C1Visa was not necessary. 
14 

Kiribati placement agencies were established and about 60 Kiribati individuals arrived, 

generally placed on Korean-American and a limited number of Vietnamese-American vessels. 

The majority, however, were unfamiliar with longline fishing. According to fellow crew, 

vessel owners used experienced Filipino crew to train Kiribati fishermen. Filipino crew 

reported that a number of Kiribati crew were dissatisfied with the workload and requested 

return to Kiribati, while others were sent home by the vessel owner.18 

Whether picking up crew in American Samoa, the Republic of Kiribati, or other 

occasional locations (including Mexico, Canada, and New Zealand), vessel owners incurred 

hefty expenses. The owners’ response was to collaborate; a vessel venturing to pick up 

Filipino crew sometimes picked up 20, 30, or even 40 individuals on a trip, typically 

including crew for that vessel plus several others belonging to friends and colleagues. Initially, 

informal systems of financial compensation varied greatly, with eventual establishment of a 

flat rate of $1500 per Filipino crew member. In early 2005, vessel owners and crew often 

mentioned the total initial cost as $4000−$5000 per crew member, including agency fees, 

flights and other travel arrangements, and the flat rate paid to a ‘pick up’ vessel owner. 

Vessel owners understood that arriving in Honolulu with 40 foreign crew was not 

allowed; crew must arrive in Hawaii on their assigned vessel, requiring transfer to the 

assigned vessel outside the EEZ. Therefore, after a ‘pick up’ vessel obtained crew, the vessels 

to which the crew were actually assigned traveled outside the EEZ to obtain their crew from 

the ‘pick up’ vessel. If a vessel picked up, for example, 40 Filipino crew, the number of boats 

traveling to meet it outside the EEZ could be considerable. This required planning and 

coordination in the high seas, often costing all vessel owners valuable fishing time. When 

vessels met in the high seas to transfer crew, crew jumped into the water and were then 

transferred to their assigned vessel using the assistance of life-saving devices. 

As alternative methods of entry for Filipino crew surfaced and dissipated, coping 

strategies arose from both Filipino crew and vessel owners. At times the industry and 

dynamics between crew and vessel operators was affected by the decreased ability to bring in 

Filipino crew. To avoid facing crew shortage—or the high costs of obtaining new crew—

vessel owners would provide Filipinos with greater salary incentives to extend contracts. In 

response, Filipino crew stayed longer in Hawaii, opting for extensions rather than contract 

terminations. Many crew were afraid to vacation in the Philippines because they believed reentry to Hawaii would be difficult or impossible. 

Researchers observed a general decrease in irresolvable disputes at such times; vessel 

owners were wary of sending home Filipino crew. Similarly, some Filipinos reported 

 

18 In 2004, less than 50 Indonesian crew were recruited to the Hawaii longline industry. These individuals 

generally possessed previous fishery experience so on-board training was unnecessary. Indonesian crew signed 

2-year contracts, forfeiting a portion of their salary if departing early. In 2005, roughly 40 Indonesian crew were 

in the Hawaii longline industry, predominantly on Korean-American-owned vessels. 
15 

tolerating undesirable situations with a vessel owner or captain. Had immigration restrictions 

allowed for easy re-entry to Hawaii, they would have departed Hawaii on completion of a 

contract and then returned to a different vessel: 

 I want to go home but it’s too hard to come back; my captain is no good but I’ll stay. 

 It’s better money than in the Philippines. I don’t really want to work with this captain. 

I would rather be in the Philippines, but I have to support my children going to school. 

Description of the Sample 

A total of 145 Filipino crew members were interviewed. It is estimated that these 

individuals reflected roughly 65 percent of Filipino crew present in the Hawaii longline 

industry in 2003.19 The sample included crew from 52 vessels, almost half of the active 

vessels in the fleet.20 Filipino crew opinions often told a story of issues relevant to a particular 

vessel. Many crew had worked on more than one vessel, however, so their stories were not 

limited to a particular vessel. 

The experience of working on a Hawaii longline vessel, opinions of the fleet and the 

job duties, work and life satisfaction, and other perspectives expressed by the Filipino crew 

were typically affected by their employer, the vessel owner. Considering the ethnic 

differences among Hawaii-longline vessel owners, crew experiences were often explained 

with strong consideration of the ethnicity of the vessel owner. In some cases, the vessel 

captain played an equally influential role.21

The sample includes 71 Filipinos working on Vietnamese-American owned vessels 

fishermen, 42 on Korean-American-owned, and 32 on Euro-American-owned vessels. During 

most of the study, docking by vessel owners in the Hawaii longline fleet took place in an 

ethnically segregated fashion, and vessel owner ethnicity generally indicated the pier at which 

a vessel docked. Ninety-seven percent of those working Vietnamese-American-operated 

vessels reported their primary dock as Pier 17, 93 percent of crew working on KoreanAmerican-operated vessels reported their primary dock as Kewalo Basin, and 72 percent of 

 

19 Because many local crew in the Hawaii longline fleet work on multiple vessels, most are generally not manned 

to full capacity (four per vessel) at a given time. It is estimated that three individuals per vessel reflects the total 

number of active crew in the Hawaii longline fleet. Considering an active 110 vessels, there were then 330 

laborers (in 2003); of whom roughly 70 percent (231) were foreign Filipino laborers. 20 Individuals were asked to report their vessel of employment at the initial interview. During the course of this 

research, many individuals were transferred to a new vessel, or left the industry and returned to work on a 

different vessel. As a result, respondents actually reflect far more than 52 vessels, perhaps as many as 80. 

Individuals on these 52 vessels evaluated job satisfaction, relationships with the owner, and other affiliated 

information. 

21 A majority of vessel owners who hired captains reported hiring captains of the same ethnicity. 
16 

crew working on Euro-American vessels reported the vessel docked at Piers 35−38.22 Each 

pier area contained unique features because of its context with the neighborhood. 

The following description of Filipino crew includes analyses of demographic variables 

such as ethnicity, culture, birthplace, religious affiliation, age, education, marital status, and 

financial dependence on the Hawaii longline, as well as commercial and family fishing 

experience. 

Demographics 

The crew were asked to identify their ethnicity in an open-ended format, allowing for 

identification of a vast number of ethnic groups. They also discussed their region of birth and 

residence. The Philippines itself is divided into 17 regions. Region I represents the 

northernmost area, with region numbers increasing in a southern direction. A limited number 

of separately labeled regions exist, reflecting particular political distinctions (Map 1). 

Filipino crew in Hawaii reflect a diversity of Filipino ethnicities, exhibiting different 

culture, food, and language. Because of this variation, ethnic groups have been categorized to 

reflect those originating from four geographic areas of the Philippines— Northern, EastCentral, West-Central, and Southern (Map 1). 

The northern region includes the Ilokos Region (reg. I), Cagayan Valley (reg. II), 

Central Luzon (reg. III), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Individuals from 

these regions reflect those of predominately Ilokano descent. The eastern-central region 

includes the National Capital Region (reg. IV-A), Calabarzon (reg. IV-A); and Mimaropa (reg. 

IV-B). Individuals from these regions reflect predominately those of Tagalog, Southern 

Tagalog, Batanganeon, and Palawaneous descent. The western-central region includes the 

Bicol Region (reg. V), Western Visayas (reg. VI), Central Visayas (reg. VII), and Eastern 

Visayas (reg. VIII). Individuals from these regions reflect those of Bicolano, Cebuano, Ilongo, 

and Visayan descent. The southern region includes Western Mindanao (reg. IX), Northern 

Mindanao (reg. X), Southern Mindanao (reg. XI), Central Mindanao (reg. XII), Caraga 

(reg.XIII), and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). People from those 

regions reflect those of Mindanaoan and Zamboanganeous descent. 

 

22 A limited number of Euro-American vessels docked at Kewalo Basin. The majority were owned by one vessel 

owner, meaning that virtually all Euro-American vessel owners docked at Pier 35. During the course of this 

research, relocation of the United Fishing Auction resulted in Euro-American vessels relocating to Piers 35−38. 
17 

Map 1. Philippines Regions

The population of the Philippines is distributed as Northern—22 percent; East 

Central—28 percent; West Central—26 percent; and Southern—24 percent (derived from 

National Statistical Coordination Board, 2005). Total proportions of ethnic groups within the 

Philippines are: Tagalog—28 percent; Cebuano—13.1 percent; Illocano—9 percent; 

Bisayan/Binisaya—7.6 percent; Ilongo/Hiligaynon—7.5 percent; Bikol—6 percent; Waray—

3.4 percent; other—25.3 percent (CIA World Factbook, 2004; U.S. Bureau of the Census, 

2001). Table 1 shows the proportion of the sample from each of the general regions. 

Table 1. Filipino Crew: Peoples by Stated Region 

Region Total Percent: Total (n = 143) 

Northern 12% 17 

East Central 35% 50 

West Central 38% 55 

Southern 10% 14 

Other23 5% 7 

The International Seafarers Action Center (ISAC) 2004 study of Filipino seafarers 

found that 40 percent of the interviewed seafarers originated from the traditional seafaring 

regions of Western and Central Visayas. A similar proportion (38 percent) of Hawaii-based 

longline crew reported being from this area, considered here as the south-central region (see 

above). An additional 35 percent of longline crew reported originating from the nearby central 

region. A more detailed analysis of these reported cultures depicts the seven ethnic groups 

represented by individuals from the two areas of south and south-central areas (Table 2). 

 

23 Those of ‘other’ ethnic decent include primarily indigenous peoples. 

Northern Region 

Eastern-Central Region Western-Central Region 

Southern Region 

IV-A 
18 

Table 2. Stated Ethnicity of Hawaii-based Crew from Central and Southern-Central Regions 

Ethnicity Number of individuals (n = 105) 

Tagalog 14 

Ilongo 14 

Southern Tagalog 24 

Visayan 20 

Batangueneo 12 

Cebuano 14 

Bicolano 6 

Palawaneous 1 

In addition to identifying their ethnic origin, crew were encouraged to describe their 

own cultural practices, religion, and birthplace. In many cases, fishermen discussed these 

issues in context with one another, sometimes producing discrepancies between cultural or 

ethnic affiliation and region. 

For cultural and political reasons, a number of Filipino crew from the southern region 

of the Philippines (namely Mindanao) identified themselves as being of Visayan, rather than 

Mindanaoan descent. Many interviewees were questioned about this distinction. In some 

cases, fishermen reported that their family had relocated from the area typically associated 

with their given ethnicity. Other Filipino crew said that although they resided in Mindanao, 

their family followed traditions more closely resembling the Visayan culture24 In some cases, 

fishermen may not have wanted to affiliate themselves with provinces in the Mindanao area 

because they did not want to be associated with Muslim rebel groups in that area. It is also 

possible that they were among the many Visayans from Mindanao (Sepez, 2005). 

A majority of crew came from areas outside of the urban capital city area; only 18 

percent reported being born in the capital region. Although there are several other urban areas 

in the Philippines, the majority of crew reported coming from rural areas, comparable to the 

87 percent of the ISAC 2004 study interviewees who reported rural origins. 

Individuals were asked to report the livelihood activities dominant in the provinces 

where they were raised. Thirty-eight percent of fishermen reported growing up in a fishing 

area, with an additional 23 percent growing up in areas characterized by both fishing and 

farming (Table 3).25 Their familiarity with the sea and fishing lifestyle helps to explain their 

interest in seafaring occupations as a way to earn income. 

 

34 Visayans (also spelled Bisayans) generally refer to people who trace their roots to the Bisayan-speaking region 

in central Philippines. However, because of migration over time, a large part of Mindanao is now largely 

populated by Visayans. Thus, it is not uncommon for people from Mindanao to call themselves “Visayan,” 

especially if they are native speakers of the Bisaya language (Colmenares, 2005). 25 Most Filipino crew expressed that their family previously or presently participated in small-scale subsistence 

fishing, sometimes selling fish locally. Some reported involvement to varied degrees, through ownership, 

employment, or other. For purposes here, all types of family fishing are considered together. 
19 

Table 3. Primary Livelihood Activities in Province Where Filipino Fishermen were Raised 

Type of Place Grew Up 

Percent (%) of 

Fishermen Number of Fishermen (n = 141) 

Fishing area 38 54 

Farming area 26 37 

Fishing/farming area 23 33 

Urban area 7 10 

Other 5 7 

Total 100 141 

Note: percentages in this and other tables may not sum to 100 due to rounding. 

Although the sample included individuals from a variety of environments throughout 

the Philippines, Filipino crew in Hawaii exhibit strong demographic similarities. All were 

male, 77 percent were married and 98 percent reported they were Catholic. Considerable 

homogeneity also was evident for individuals from areas located geographically close to one 

another. These individuals often described themselves as neighbors, or explained that “my 

province is right next to his province.” 

Filipino crew sampled ranged from 21 to 52 years of age in 2003. The average age 

was 37, with 55 percent over the age of 36. This group of Filipino fishermen was slightly 

older than respondents in the ISAC 2004 study, in which only 25 percent of all seafarers 

reported being over the age of 36. 

A vast majority, 89 percent, reported completing high school. Nearly 30 percent also 

completed an associate or trade school degree (often focused on maritime studies), with an 

additional 16 percent completing at least some college coursework. Five percent reported 

completing college studies. Thirty percent of the respondents in the ISAC study reported 

being graduates of vocational or technical school. In many cases, they had received more 

formal education than the captains or owners for whom they were working in Hawaii. 

Crew reported being responsible for an average of five dependents (not necessarily 

children) and typically said that work in the Philippines provided a substantially lower income 

level compared to fishing out of Hawaii. All Filipino crew indicated that their households 

depended heavily on the Hawaii longline industry for income, with 63 percent reporting the 

fishery as their sole source of income. Of Filipino crew reporting similar information in the 

ISAC 2004 study of Filipino seafarers, 83 percent reported that seafaring employment was the 

household’s sole source of income. 

Work Experience 

Many Filipino crew had an extensive background in commercial fishing, with an 

average of 11 years of experience (including time spent in Hawaii). This number is far greater 

than the average number of years reported by overall seafarers in the ISAC 2004 study, in 

which only 25 percent of respondents reported more than 5 years total involvement in 

seafaring. 
20 

Crew interviewed for this study also reported the amount of time worked in the 

Hawaii longline industry. For some crew this included a number of visits to Hawaii, e.g., 

three contracts of a12-month duration, while others reported having spent 36 consecutive 

months. Filipino crew spent an average of just over 2 years in Hawaii, with an average of 

roughly 1.5 years on the same vessel (Table 4). 

Table 4. Length of Time Spent Working in Hawaii Longline: In Months 

Months in Hawaii Longline Percent (%) of Fishermen Number of Fishermen 

0−12 months 29 42 

13−24 months 37 53 

25−36 months 20 29 

37−48 months 12 18 

49−60 months 1 2 

over 60 months 1 1 

Total 100 145 

Ninety percent of the sample reported previous contract work in one or more fisheries 

outside Hawaii. Thirty-five percent of the sample reported working in only one other fishery, 

34 percent in 2 fisheries, 10 percent in three fisheries, and only 12 percent in 4 or more 

fisheries. 

While the majority considered international contract fishing to be the origin of their 

commercial fishing career, 14 percent reported working on a commercial or private fishing 

vessel in the Philippines. Overseas fishery employment included longline fishing in California, 

the Gulf of Mexico, Guam, Australia, Majuro, or Samoa; squid fishing based in South 

America (usually Argentina); and albacore or jig fishing based in Australia, Samoa, or 

California. Vessels in such international fisheries were owned and/ or operated by ethnically 

diverse individuals not necessarily reflecting the country where a vessel was homeported. A 

majority of Filipino crew, 75 percent, reported having previous fishing experience working on 

longline vessels in Guam. Of those individuals, 70 percent reported working on Japanese 

operated vessels.26 Many also reported previous work experience in the maritime industry 

outside of fishing, including working on cargo vessels,27 passenger or cruise ships, or tugboats. 

Previous work experience outside of fishing included employment in factories, department 

stores, family businesses/shops, food preparation, painting, construction, carpentry, farming, 

animal husbandry, manufacturing, mining, military, welding, or as plantation and cannery 

workers, day laborers, drivers, deliverers, electricians, security guards, or in the service 

industry (tire repair, shoe repair, etc). In some cases, these jobs were also overseas, in Iraq, 

Saudi Arabia, or other locations. Many crew reported that after having worked in contract 

fishing (in Hawaii or elsewhere), they used their income to develop small businesses in the 

Philippines such as taxi or tricycle operations. 

 

26 Eighty percent of those fishermen also reported working on Taiwanese-operated vessels. 27 Many aspired to work on board more-desirable cargo vessels, treating fishing as a supplemental activity until 

such work could be obtained. As a result of the high competition level, age limits, and limited availability, 

fishermen reported they were either unable to obtain or maintain work on cargo vessels. Generally, if offered 

such a position, fishermen reported they would abandon fishing and pursue such employment. 
21 

It is interesting to note that Filipino crew in the Hawaii longline industry had different 

demographic characteristics than many of the vessel owners and captains. Filipino crew were 

younger, had been fishing commercially for fewer years, and had received more education 

than some sectors of owners and captains (Table 5). 

Table 5: Demographic Comparison of Vessel Owners and Captains with Filipino Crew 

Filipino 

Crew 

KoreanAmerican EuroAmerican VietnameseAmerican 

Average Age 37 52 48 47 

Average number of years commercial fishing 11 28 27 19 

Did not finish high school 11% 7% 0% 71% 

Younger individuals reported that they had applied for contract fishing immediately 

after high school because of the prestige and success of those known to have worked in 

foreign fisheries. The application for contract fishing generally requires a wait of a few years. 

Some of the older fishermen reported hoping to continue fishing a few more years—often 

until their children had completed school—and then retire in the Philippines. 

Social Networks 

The majority of Filipino crew are married, so the fishermen have left behind wives and 

families in the Philippines. The social circle of these workers has evolved to include a number 

of extended family and friends in Hawaii. The most immediate social network is naturally the 

other crew members working and living on the same vessel. Because they are confined to the 

vessel or immediate dock area, there is limited interaction with crew working on other piers.28

Filipino fishermen often spend three or more consecutive days docked in port between trips 

(and sometimes much longer if a vessel is being repaired), so many have developed 

relationships with local Filipinos residing in Hawaii. Collectively, the Filipino crew exhibit 

many characteristics of a place-based community (Wilkinson, 1991) with social structure 

(albeit loose and informal), a barter and cash economy, a system of mutual support, and some 

mechanisms for collective action. 

Three primary social networks are described: (a) fellow crew; (b) friends and family 

residing in Hawaii and other friends within the Hawaii longline community; and (c) 

business/political connections to the local Filipino community. 

 

28 Movement between piers is not permitted, considering the regulations enforced by the Department of 

Homeland Security; this has greatly restricted the amount of interaction between pier areas. The situation 

changed dramatically in 2004, when the United Fishing Agency auction—the primary distributor for Hawaii 

longline fish—changed their operations resulting in fishing vessels congregating at one area immediately before 

and after each fishing trip. As a result, interaction among individuals based in different pier areas greatly 

increased. 
22 

Interaction with Fellow Crew

The most immediate social network of Filipino crew is fellow crew on the same vessel, 

followed by crew in the same pier area. There is little formal hierarchy within this network. 

The vessel captain, typically called ‘barangay’ by Filipino crew, will often designate a deck 

boss, generally paid for his additional responsibilities, who is responsible for disseminating 

information to the crew.29 (Some vessels do not have a deck boss; in many cases, this led to 

increased conflict on a vessel). Deck bosses are often responsible for non-fishing related 

duties, such as restricting outside visitors on a vessel and serving as a liaison between captain 

and other crew. Although this responsibility promotes status on the vessel, these individual 

deck bosses generally do not retain this status off-board. 

Some individuals have assumed a leadership position, often determined by status such 

as number of years working in the fishing industry, number of years working in Hawaii, or 

relationship with influential captains in the longline industry. In many cases, these individuals 

simply exhibit leadership qualities because of their personality or the situation. 

Interactions among Filipino crew in a given pier area were quite common, with crew 

gathering to celebrate birthdays, holidays, outside visitors, and farewells. One particularly 

popular social event was the arrival or departure of a crew member. In the absence of a formal 

reason for gatherings, on-board socializing nonetheless continued. 

Within each pier area, specific vessel owners were considered more or less permissive 

in hosting group activities. Similarly, some individuals and vessel crews were known to be 

more or less involved in these gatherings. Filipino crew often congregated at particular 

vessels where it was known that a vessel owner would not object. Other vessel owners 

prohibited crew from participating in some activities, such as drinking more than two beers, 

hosting outside visitors, bringing females on board, congregating on a particular vessel,30 or 

leaving their own vessel. 

Gatherings consisted predominantly of Filipino crew, with occasional visitors from 

outside. They spent time drinking alcoholic beverages, singing karaoke, gambling and telling 

jokes. Some vessel owners purchased beer for their crew while most crew sent local friends or 

family to purchase beer and some crew purchased it themselves. In addition to beer, crew 

passed a shot glass of whiskey around the group. Vessels with karaoke machines were the 

most popular for hosting an evening party. In the absence of karaoke, crew entertained with 

guitars and singing. Sashimi, cooked fish, and numerous Filipino dishes were generally 

prepared by the host vessel’s crew, using fish provided by the most recently arrived vessel. 

The attendees would share in preparing the food and providing necessary seasonings, sauces, 

chopsticks, and other disposable items. 

 

29 On board a vessel, non-Filipino crew generally do not see a Filipino deck boss as a superior, or liaison 

between the captain and crew. At times this has been noted as a subject of tension for Filipino crew; in some 

instances, the non-Filipino crew are expected (by Filipino crew) to maintain their own relationship with the 

captain/owner. 

30 In some cases, vessel owners would allow Filipino crew to congregate on vessels owned by those considered 

friends, but prohibit them from social gatherings on vessels where the owner was not considered a friend. 
23 

The level and extent of social interaction of individual Filipino crew was rated by 

researchers based on two criteria: observations by the researcher and interpreter and 

discussions by fellow Filipino crew.31 Nearly half (49 percent) of Filipino crew were rated as 

frequently socializing with fellow crew, with an additional 38 percent rated as socializing 

occasionally (Table 6). Only 14 percent were considered to never or rarely interact with 

fellow crew in social settings. Social interaction with fellow crew was in part determined by 

individual preference, but, as mentioned, heavily influenced by vessel owners. Researchers 

noticed significantly less social interaction among Filipino crew at particular geographic pier 

locations, where owners often imposed greater restrictions on crew mobility. In some cases, 

vessel owners prohibited certain interactions, and in other cases individuals simply opted not 

to associate regularly with fellow Filipino crew. 

Table 6. Filipino Crew frequency of association with fellow crew outside work hours 

 Number of Fishermen (n = 144) Percent Fishermen 

Never 20 14 

Occasionally 54 37 

Frequently 70 49 

Total 144 100 

To better understand the dynamics among crew, interviewees were asked to report on 

problems with fellow crew. Only 10 percent of Filipino crew reported having problems with 

fellow on-board crewmates, and many of these problems were based on experiences working 

with non-Filipino crew. Filipino crew were also asked about any existing conflict with crew 

on board other vessels. A total of 24 percent reported conflict with crew on other vessels; 

however, less than one percent described those problems as major. In most cases, responses 

reflected personal conflict with individuals on other vessels. Largely, sporadic disagreements 

resulted in reports of conflict that was “somewhat of a problem” and usually resolved over 

time. 

Social networks also reflected financial assistance, with three quarters of the crew 

members reporting that they could borrow money from fellow crew. During social gatherings, 

small amounts (generally under $10) were exchanged or contributed as necessary. At least 

three times during the study, larger amounts were collected to assist a fellow crew who had 

fallen into financial difficulties from the death of a loved one. Similarly, the majority of crew 

voluntarily contributed to any crew member who was sent home against his will. 

Many social networks were enhanced through previous relationships between crew 

members. Fourteen percent of the sample noted that they had a family member—father, son, 

brother, cousin, or uncle—working on a Hawaii-based longline vessel. As crew found the 

industry profitable, they often encouraged family members to contact the same agency and 

request a contract in Hawaii. 

 

31 Researchers recognized that their presence could have altered established patterns of social interaction. In 

cases where researchers were not sure about a crew member’s socializing patterns, the opinions and 

observations of other crew members were valuable. 
24 

Many Filipino crew also reported having friends from the Philippines on board the 

same vessel. This was in large part a result of the input many long-time crew members had in 

suggesting qualified crew to the vessel owner, who subsequently requested those individuals 

from the agency. This resulted in a number of vessels having crew from the same province, or 

even the same town. Many crew members also reported strong social ties with one another 

from having worked together in other fisheries. 

Filipino crew expressed camaraderie and companionship through their networks and 

social activities. Camaraderie was often expressed through discussing problems and laughing 

about the challenges seemingly unique to this group of crew. A common humorous topic was 

their lack of ability to exit the pier area. Many were amused by their limited understanding of 

Hawaii and joked that they had to watch videos to accurately explain the islands to family and 

friends back in the Philippines. Crew often joked about their lack of social activity, 

constructing humorous fantasies of building bars and shopping centers inside the pier area. 

Many found humor in the dynamic relationship between foreign fishermen and the 

Department of Homeland Security, particularly in the element of the chase. Jokes often 

included fantasies of bypassing immigration laws (such as parachuting into Hawaii). 

Filipino crew also used humor to deal with difficult situations onboard. Many crew 

retrospectively laughed at situations where vessel captains or owners were angry or frustrated. 

Crew working on vessels with comparatively limiting rules while in port often laughed at 

their coping strategies. Fishermen, for example, were often required to sign-in and sign-out if 

leaving the actual vessel, limiting their social activity. Fishermen laughed at the frequency of 

their reported restroom trips, actually used to visit friends on other vessels. Filipino crew 

found humor in miscommunications with vessel captains, particularly when 

miscommunication arose from words with both an English and Tagalog meaning. Such plays 

on words were common; for example, one crew member discussed his language fluency: “My 

English is very poor (pronounced four), sometimes five.” 

 

Filipino crew also found humor in the entrance patterns to Hawaii. Although a source 

of concern for most fishermen, those who enter into Hawaii can generally laugh about their 

indirect route and the need to transfer vessels outside the EEZ. Vessels picking up large 

numbers of crew, undergoing potentially strenuous conditions with dozens of crew on board, 

were often discussed. Crew joked about the crowded living arrangements, naming particular 

areas of overcrowded vessels, such as referring to an air-conditioned container carried on the 

stern as the “VIP lounge.” Other topics included the time spent away from family: “Even after 

one week back home, I’m missing my job, missing the lifestyle here, and starting to make 

plans to get back on a boat, where I come and miss my family.” 

Changes in the amount of social interaction varied throughout the study for several 

reasons. At Kewalo Basin, for example, the number of Filipino crew members declined 

steadily as many Korean-American owners began hiring Kiribati crew. As a result, many crew 

complained of boredom and a lack of Filipino camaraderie. 

At the beginning of the study, large social gatherings were common at Pier 17. When 

many Filipino crew were denied entry to Hawaii, the numbers of Filipino crew began 
25 

decreasing and group activities dwindled. This decline was reversed when VietnameseAmerican swordfishing vessels returned from California to make Hawaii their home port. 

Later, crew noticed an increased presence of harbor police who reduced social gatherings by 

dispersing large groups of crew and requested outside visitors to depart. 32 

 

Pier 35 also experienced numerous shifts in the Filipino presence and extent of social 

gatherings, most notably with the 2004 relocation of the fish auction, United Fishing Agency, 

to the area. As a result, additional businesses opened in the previously secluded pier area. All 

vessels began offloading fish at the pier area instead of docking at their respective piers and 

transporting fish by truck. Upon arrival from fishing, vessels waited to offload fish at Pier 

35−38, waiting from a couple of hours to 1 to 2 days prior to departing for their ‘home pier’. 

Vessels sometimes also docked at Pier 35−38 prior to departure to obtain ice. As a result, 

Filipino crew frequently socialized with crew from different geographic pier locations, a rare 

occurrence prior to the auction relocation. 

Another source of onboard interaction was with observers, who frequently were 

appreciated by the crew for a variety of reasons (see that section of this report). Sometimes 

these relationships continued after a fishing trip. 

Interaction with the Filipino Community in Hawaii

The Filipino fishermen in Hawaii’s longline community demonstrated varied levels of 

interaction with the local Filipino community. Hawaii contains an above-average proportion 

of Filipino-Americans; 14 percent of the population is of Filipino descent33 (U.S. Census, 

2000). Five percent of Filipino crew in the Hawaii longline industry reported having a family 

member residing in Hawaii. For some, these family members frequented the pier area, often 

bringing food or additional friends to socialize. Friends and family were almost always 

provided with fish as a gesture. In some cases, the friends would bring beer, Filipino food, or 

other items. 

Providing fish to local friends, local family, and fellow crew (at social gatherings 

occurring as vessels arrived in port), was a common occurrence. Fishermen placed great 

importance on having fish to supply to friends and family, and were often ashamed if they 

could not. Vessel owners who allowed crew to retain a portion of fish (usually fish that would 

be discarded or were too small to sell) were appreciated by Filipino crew. In other cases, crew 

reported hiding fish from the vessel owners to have fish available for social networks. Some 

Filipino crew reported not socializing with others—including other Filipino longline crew—

because they did not have any fish to share.34 

 

32 Crew reported that harbor police responded to complaint calls regarding noise, parking violations, or 

unauthorized persons in the pier or vessel area. Some vessel owners reported satisfaction with this enforcement 

while others were uncomfortable. 

33 This includes an estimated 170,635 individuals as of 2000. 

34 Filipino crew also provided the researcher and interpreter with fish and were not easily dissuaded. If fish was 

not available, Filipino crew apologized profusely. In one case, a Filipino crew member ashamed at not having 

fish to share instead provided the researcher with a box of bait. 
26 

The local Filipino community provided strong social networks to Filipinos working on 

Hawaii longline vessels. The large local Filipino community allowed many fishermen to 

develop friends and extend social networks outside the pier area. In some cases, additional 

friends were introduced to crew through locally based family members, and sometimes 

through the family members of fellow crew. In general, any variation to the daily fishing 

routine provided an opportunity for Filipino crew to develop new local social networks. 

Friends were met when the boat was dry-docked, when observers were present on board, 

when additional workers accessed the pier area, or when Filipino crew left the pier area. Crew 

finding local friends from the same province or same town often remained in contact. Thirtyfive percent of the sample reported having local friends from whom they could borrow money. 

A number of Filipino women frequented the pier area as well, providing 

companionship for Filipino crew. Many Filipino crew developed long- or short-term 

relationships with local Filipinas. Some Filipino crew reported providing long-term girlfriends 

with significant sums of money, in some cases straining the financial situation of their 

families in the Philippines. Others reported receiving financial assistance from the women. A 

number of Filipino crew fathered children to local Filipino women in Hawaii. Some crew 

reported being abandoned by their wives in the Philippines because of various relationship 

complications with Filipino women in Hawaii. In some cases, Filipino crew attempted to 

marry local girlfriends, taking steps towards divorce from their wives in the Philippines (if 

applicable).35 Because the restrictions of the C visa used by most Filipino crew do not allow 

for an immediate change in immigrant status upon marriage, steps toward marriage were 

usually conducted by obtaining a K visa, with the assistance of local Filipino attorneys. This 

process also required the individual to return to the Philippines to obtain the visa although 

during the study, no Filipino crew actually returned on a K visa.36 

One other prevalent social network present at the pier area consisted of individuals 

who were jokingly labeled ‘pier fishermen.’ Filipino crew often commented that these local 

individuals (usually but not always Filipino) were hoping to obtain free fish from the Filipino 

crew. 

A variety of other individuals regularly frequented a pier area for various reasons. For 

example, one woman regularly visited Piers 17 and 35 to promote Christianity. She reported 

having done so for a number of years, citing the Filipino crew as her mission and saying she 

felt it was her job to treat these crew as her sons and assist them in their moral decisions. 

Some crew opted to associate with her, while others found her presence suspicious. These 

visits were usually approved by the vessel owner who allowed her to board the vessel. 

In October 2005, a Hawaii-based church began Bible studies at Pier 17. The church 

group came Sunday nights at 7:00, and if a boat was available (with owner permission) they 

held a bible study. At one two-hour meeting there were nine church individuals and about 25 

crew members present. Some Vietnamese vessel owners do not allow the group to hold bible 

 

35 Although divorce does not exist in the Philippines, it would still be recognized by the United States 

government to allow for processing of documentation for a subsequent marriage. 

36 Filipino crew estimated that it took 6 months to obtain a K visa. 
27 

study on their boats; according to the Filipino crew, some of the Vietnamese have different 

religious beliefs. One Filipino crew reported that he had a ‘recruit’, as he convinced one man 

from Pohnephei, Micronesia to come to the study. 

Occasionally, local crew or captains provided additional social networks to Filipino 

crew. Although infrequent, some local (non-foreign) crew socialized with Filipino crew and 

introduced them to non-Filipino individuals. This occurred predominantly with some locally 

based crew; Filipino crew often reported being skeptical about the lifestyle of these 

individuals. In other cases, vessel owners socialized with the Filipino crew in the pier area and 

in some cases outside the pier area. Filipino crew reported spending time with vessel owners 

or captains at restaurants, bars, homes, and a few even mentioned having gone horseback 

riding with the owner before boarding a longline vessel to be transferred to Hawaii. 

Interaction with the Local Hawaii Business/Political Community

A number of formal and informal businesses catering to Filipino crew operated within 

the pier area. Shipping and remittance companies visited the docks on a daily basis. Filipino 

crew would send money back to the Philippines as desired, in some cases waiting until the 

exchange rate was favorable and then sending larger sums. In other cases, where individuals 

reported that their families required money immediately, remittance companies provided 

short-term advances. Some vessel owners would provide the salary to these companies, rather 

than the individual crew, based on a verbal agreement that the money had already been 

disbursed in the Philippines.37

In some cases, remittance companies would sell phone cards or provide shipping 

services for individuals sending commodities to the Philippines. Agency representatives who 

frequented the docks also sold phone cards and other commodities to Filipino crew. 

Phone cards were perhaps the most commonly sold commodity within the pier areas. 

When vessels remain docked for repairs or other delays, local shoreside supply businesses 

often provided a Filipino crew member working on docked vessels with phone cards to sell to 

fellow crew. This minimized the responsibilities of the locally based businessmen, who then 

visited the docks to receive his earnings. The individual selling the phone cards was also 

usually provided with a small fee. 

A number of Hawaii-based Filipinos developed businesses in the pier area, selling 

desirable items such as socks, t-shirts, soap, and other personal items. Some individuals sold 

larger items that Filipino crew might send to the Philippines, including computers, stereos, 

digital cameras, compact discs, perfume, lotion, and other goods.38 In some cases, these 

 

37 Filipino crew reported that in some cases checks written by the vessel owners to remittance companies were 

returned. In this event, the remittance company no longer provided advances to Filipino crew on vessels of that 

particular owner. 

38 Docks located near areas of transient housing meant that a variety of individuals regularly came and went, 

some taking the opportunity to attempt to sell crew a variety of items that differed daily, such as luggage, knives, 

backpacks, or bicycles. These sellers were generally not trusted by the Filipino crew. 
28 

businessmen reported encountering difficulties with authorities because they lacked proper 

licensing. In most cases, transactions between fishermen and salesmen were cash-based; but 

as relationships developed, the salesmen were provided with fish as a gesture of goodwill. In 

other cases, these informal businessmen would take cash and orders from Filipino crew, then 

leave the pier area to purchase the desired items. This was a beneficial system for the Filipino 

crew, but in a limited number of cases Filipino crew reported losing large sums of money. 

Considering familial, social, and business networks available to Filipino crew in 

Hawaii, many Filipino crew exhibited strong social ties to Hawaii. More crew members 

reported having moderate or extensive local networks than reported having no or extremely 

limited local networks (Table 7). 

Table 7: Filipino Fishermen Reporting Friends or Family in Hawaii 

 Number of Fishermen (n = 145) Percent (%) 

Fishermen 

None or extremely limited 56 39 

Moderate 55 38 

Extensive 34 23 

 Total 145 100 

The Filipino crew also were involved in collective action, usually spurred by local 

Filipino individuals and interests. In 2003, at least one local resident Filipino involved with a 

Filipino association, Mindanaoans of Hawaii, circulated a petition to increase the starting 

salary of Filipino crew on Hawaii vessels. The petition, signed by 54 fishermen was 

reportedly sent with an accompanying letter to the president of the Philippines. 

Later, in 2004, a number of individuals (some of the same) attempted to start a 

Filipino association. One local Filipino initiated efforts to organize Filipino crew using one 

Filipino crew member as a leader. A list of names including president, vice president, officer 

of finance, and other appropriate officers and officials was circulated to the crew with a date 

of the swearing-in ceremony.39 Much talk occurred among fishermen about the intentions of 

this group and its goals and objectives. Researchers are not aware of any ceremonies, 

subsequent meetings, or organization of crew that took place. Another political development 

during the course of the study occurred when a local group, the Filipino Coalition, attempted 

to petition the state legislature to allow Filipino crew to have direct access to Hawaii. Bills 

were drafted in both 2003 and 2004 and offered to the state legislature with assistance from 

the coalition and local Filipino representatives. 

Later, representatives from this same group had at least two meetings with Hawaii 

longline vessel owners, captains, and crew agency representatives. A number of vessel owners 

were eager to work with the group, but organization has been slow. Vessel owners interested 

in joining efforts with the Filipino Coalition have argued that the group needed the support of 

vessel owners and needed to better understand maritime law. Other vessel owners have 

suggested that the local representative organization of vessel owners, known as the Hawaii 

 

39 The names of the researcher and interpreter were included, without their knowledge. This reflected the extent 

of their integration into the Filipino crew community. 
29 

Longline Association, should pursue such efforts rather than individual vessel owners or the 

Filipino Coalition. 

Salary 

Filipino crew interviewed generally expressed high satisfaction with salary, with 79 

percent reporting they made a reasonable income. A majority of Filipino crew, 84 percent, 

reported receiving only a flat rate (established) salary. The remaining 16 percent received a 

share (percentage) based on trip landings or earnings instead of a flat salary (which was 

always the same or higher than the flat salary). Vessel owners paying shares did so at their 

own discretion. 

Considering any base salary plus additional earnings opportunities, the monthly pay of 

Filipino crew ranged from $360 to $1,325, with an average (mean) pay of $528 and a median 

of $500. In total, 36 percent earned $400 or less monthly, 34 percent earned $450 to $500, 11 

percent earned $530 to $600, 5 percent earned $630 to $700, 8 percent earned $725 to 800, 

and 5 percent earned $1,000 or more. We note that in 2003, the average annual income for a 

family in the Philippines was 148,757 pesos, totaling roughly $2,700 USD (Philippines 

National Statistics Office, 2004). With an average salary of $528 per month, the average 

annual income of a Hawaii-longline crew member was well over double that of the average 

for Filipino families. Even the lowest paid crew members earned 62 percent more than the 

family average for the Philippines—and did not have to pay for housing or food while living 

on the longline vessel. 

Fishermen stated their income was made up of one to three components: (a) a flat rate 

ranging from $300 to $600 per month; (b) a share, generally from $0 to $10 per ton of fish 

landed; and (c) additional pay for extra on-board employment (usually $50 or $100 a month 

per task such as cook, iceman, or deck boss). Salary adjustments, increases based on contract 

extension, or other pay changes were all at the discretion of the vessel owner. Some vessel 

owners paid crew both a share and a flat-rate salary. On a particularly-well-paying trip in 

2005, for example, crew aboard one vessel reported earning $1,600. The owner of this vessel 

paid crew a flat rate of $600 per month, in addition to a one percent bonus per trip. 

Considering the high fish prices paid at that time, the one percent bonus resulted in a $1,000 

payment to each crew member. 

Some crew members reported a preference for working on vessels that allowed 

abundant extra opportunities for income while others preferred working on vessels that 

offered high established salaries, but with fewer opportunities for extra earnings. Fourteen 

percent of all Filipino crew interviewed reported that their salary was made up of only a predetermined amount, with no extra on-board, income-earning potential. The remaining 86 

percent earned additional income from a variety of tasks such as cooking, welding, deck boss, 

or other jobs. The established rate for one particular task ranged from $50 to $300. A total of 

25 percent of the sample received additional on-board employment, resulting in additional 

earnings of less than $100 per month; 33 percent earned an additional $101 to $300; and 28 
30 

percent received additional earnings over $300. Although such extra earnings were not 

guaranteed for the length of the contract, they could be depended on with some consistency. 

Trends in salary, additional on-board employment compensation, extended contract 

compensation, patterns of remitting money to the Philippines, and other salary-related issues 

arose in each pier area. As mentioned, vessel owners of particular ethnicities tended to dock 

together; with 89 percent of Kewalo Basin vessels operated by Korean-Americans, 88 percent 

of Pier 17 vessels operated by Vietnamese-Americans, and 94 percent of Pier 35-38 vessels 

operated by Euro-Americans. For this reason, Filipino crew reported different experiences 

within pier areas. In certain cases, this was the result of the operating procedures of a given 

agency, trends common among owners of a particular ethnicity, or simply differences in 

operating procedures implemented by a particular vessel owner. 

Total monthly salary varied by pier location (Table 8). All salaries explained include 

combining the base salary and extra earning potential. Trends in the base salary are reflected 

by evaluating the likelihood of earning extra income totaling more than $300. 

Table 8. Relative Salaries and Their Components of Crew at Particular Locations 

 All Piers Pier 17 Kewalo Pier 35 

Average total monthly salary40 $528 $528 $467 $647 

Percent earning above average ($530.00) 30% 33% 13% 55% 

Percent with extra earning potential > 300/per month 28% 5% 30% 79% 

Filipino crew working on vessels at Pier 17 reported an average salary of $528, with 

67 percent earning $530 or less. These actual salaries reflected any additional on board 

employment. Thirty percent reported that this additional income totaled less than $100 per 

month, 47 percent earned an extra $100−$300, and 5 percent earned more than $300 

additional income.41 

Overall, the established rate at Kewalo was somewhat lower than that of Pier 17. The 

average salary for Filipino crew working on vessels at Kewalo Basin was $467 per month, 

with 87 percent receiving $530 or less. Filipino fishermen based at Kewalo reported that 

additional income potential—although unreliable—was higher. Despite 20 percent reporting 

no extra income potential at all, 30 percent reported the potential of earning more than $300 

additional income monthly. 

The average salary among Filipino crew working on vessels at Pier 35 was $647, with 

45 percent earning $530 or less. Of those earning more than $530, 17 percent reported their 

salary to be $800 or greater. The higher income at Pier 35 strongly reflects the inflated 

additional income potential. Seventy-nine percent of fishermen reported the additional earning 

potential to be greater than $300 per month, often based on receipt of share earnings. 

 

40 This includes income from extra on-board employment. 41 Incomes were not necessarily consistent each month. In cases where additional income greatly varied from 

month to month, the fishermen and researcher estimated the average. 
31 

Salary also depends on a crew member’s tenure. When fishermen complete a 1-year 

contract, vessel owners either arrange for crew to return home or provide an opportunity to 

extend the contract. Standard extensions are for either 6 months or one year. In certain cases, 

owners arranged for shorter extensions to retain crew until the anticipated arrival of new crew. 

Negotiations between the vessel owner and the crew member determine the actual salary 

increase and the duration of the extension. Agents are generally not heavily involved in this 

process and no new contract is signed, although individuals remain affiliated with their 

respective agencies. 

Salaries after a contract extension varied among pier areas, and even on vessels. For 

example, at one pier fishermen reported they were offered a $50-per-month increase with a 6-

month extension or $100-per-month increase with a 12-month extension. Further alternatives 

were provided; for example, instead of opting for a $100 raise, crew could receive an $80 

raise per month in addition to a catch bonus increase from $10 to $15 per ton. 

Job Satisfaction 

Filipino crew were asked to evaluate their level of job satisfaction. Crew generally 

voluntarily evaluated a number of variable criteria, such as salary, pier location, relationship 

with vessel owner, and relationships with other crew. Crew working in different pier areas, 

subject to different rules and enforcement by vessel owner and other superiors, often 

exhibited different levels of job satisfaction. Although there was a clear relationship between 

pier area and owner ethnicity (which determined much of the differential level of satisfaction), 

other factors included pier amenities such as the availability of a working pay phone, the 

presence or absence of crew of other ethnicities, and other factors. 

Nearly 70 percent reported high or very high levels of job satisfaction (Table 9). 

Nearly 80 percent said they earned a reasonable income and reported no problem with their 

workload or living conditions. In many cases, Filipinos reporting high levels of satisfaction 

also said they faced obstacles working in the Hawaii longline industry. In some cases, they 

then downplayed the importance of those obstacles, which often paled in comparison to 

difficulties faced while working in the Philippines or in previous fisheries. 

Table 9. Filipino Crew Reported Level of Job Satisfaction 

Reported Level of Job Satisfaction Percent (%)

Very High 28 

High 40 

Low 23 

Very Low 9 

Reasons for high levels of satisfaction included income and its benefits, status as a 

foreign worker, and ability to maintain a fishing lifestyle: 

 My father is here. Now (that I am here) I can work in Hawaii and earn good money. I 

am very proud to be here; when I go home, I will be a hero in Philippines. 
32 

 I waited 2 years with the agency (in the Philippines) to come to Hawaii. Now I am 

very happy to come here and support my family. 

 I will have a very high status in the Philippines, and I am building my house there. 

For me, I am the oldest (sibling), so I am paying for my three siblings to go to school. 

 I like to fish everywhere; I can travel and I take pictures everywhere I work. 

 I really love being a fisherman. This is the life of a fisherman. I am very proud of this 

work, it is very good work. And now I raised a very good family in the Philippines and 

they have a very good house and income. I have many friends working (longline) in 

Hawaii. 

Explanations of satisfaction were often based on comparisons with conditions in 

previous fisheries or other jobs, both within and outside the Philippines: 

 I worked in Solomon Islands for 10 years. Hawaii is much better. Over there is too 

much work, the money is no good, and it’s just no good. 

 This work is much easier than swordfishing in California. Also, on board it’s better to 

work with Filipinos on board. In Guam we had a mix (of ethnicities) working on board. 

Now I make good money, the captain is very fair. 

 I'd rather work in the Philippines, but this is okay. This fishery is much better than 

Japanese or Taiwanese in Guam because the workload is much easier. There, we 

throw away all the fish except for very few that they keep. Also there, there are so 

many crew, and sometimes we have to fight before we can work. 

 (Hawaii longline) is better than (fishing in) Malaysia, it’s much easier work, it’s 

better on board. I work with Filipino crew here and we work together. I also have 

many friends here. It’s a nice and easy place. 

 I have a very good boat, and a good captain. The workload in Hawaii is a much easier 

workload than before (outside fishery). The only problem is we can't go outside. 

Another basis for comparison was the distinction between fishing and other maritime 

occupations. Many Filipino crew had pursued an education in marine engineering or a similar 

field, intending to obtain employment on a cargo or commercial vessel. Fishermen reported 

the wait for placement on such vessels to be very long and the opportunities limited. Many 

Filipino explained that they did not ‘know the right people’ to help them obtain one of the 

highly-competitive jobs on a cargo vessel. Fishermen sometimes contrasted Hawaii longline 

experience with other, desirable seafarer employment: 

 This fishing style is easy. I would have preferred to work on a commercial vessel. I 

graduated in 2002, but it’s too competitive to work on a cargo vessel. I couldn’t wait 
33 

anymore so I had to do fishing. But I am still young so maybe I still can, the first 

opportunity that comes along. 

 It could be worse—I could work on a Japanese boat in Guam. But it could be better if 

I worked on a cruise liner. 

 (Hawaii longline is) the best income opportunity left. Before I worked on a cargo 

vessel which was better. I like to see different places, travel, explore and go around 

everywhere. But now I’m too old, and (the cargo vessel company) won’t accept me 

anymore. So fishing in Hawaii is better money than working in the Philippines. And I 

heard it’s better here than on a Japanese or Taiwanese boat. 

In addition to salary and lifestyle considerations, the extent of contact with friends or 

family locally in Hawaii appeared to be a determinant of satisfaction. Of crew who reported 

having extensive local friends or family, 20 percent reported low and 80 percent reported high 

levels of job satisfaction. Of those who reported having no or an extremely limited number of 

local friends or family, 36 percent reported low and 64 percent reported high levels of job 

satisfaction. 

Satisfaction with specific aspects of working on a longline vessel in Hawaii was also 

evaluated; 77 percent reported no problems with the on-board workload responsibilities and 

80 percent reported no problem with on-board living conditions. Problems that were listed 

included lack of appropriate food, sanitation, restroom facilities, or inadequate vessel 

maintenance. 

Filipino crew also were asked about their level of satisfaction with their lives in 

general; 87 percent reported their life satisfaction to be high or very high. Many attributed this 

to the financial benefits of their job and their family’s resulting spending power back in the 

Philippines. Other reasons provided included satisfaction with their work, lighter workloads 

(compared to outside fisheries), family status, and enhanced status as a foreign worker upon 

returning to the Philippines. 

Behavioral Intent Regarding Hawaii-Based Longline Employment

Another approach to assessing job satisfaction was to ask about crew members’ 

attitudes toward continued employment. All crew were asked if, given the opportunity, they 

would become involved with the Hawaii longline industry again. 

 

A wide majority, 72 percent, reported that they would seek employment in the 

longline fleet under the same conditions (Table 10). Another 21 percent said that they would 

still get involved with the fleet if they could work under different conditions. Six percent were 

unsure if they would like to return to Hawaii, and just one percent said they would not come 

back to Hawaii at all. Their positive attitudes also were reflected by a willingness to 
34 

encourage their children to work in the fleet when they reached an employable age (Table 

10).42 

Table 10: Filipino Crew Reports on Future Involvement with Hawaii Longline (n = 145) 

Reported they would get involved again under same conditions 72% 

Reported they would get involved under different conditions 21% 

Reported they were unsure if they would get involved again 6% 

Reported they would not get involved again 1% 

Reported they would encourage children to get involved 67% 

Future intentions were related to satisfaction level (Table 11). For example, 88 of the 

105 individuals who said they would get involved again under the same conditions reported 

high or very high levels of satisfaction, while 24 of the 30 who said they would get involved 

only under different conditions reported low or very low levels of satisfaction. Table 11 also 

shows the lure of salaries much higher than those available in the Philippines; 17 individuals 

who reported low or very low satisfaction said they would nonetheless get involved again 

under the same conditions. 

Table 11: Behavioral Intent and Level of Job Satisfaction (n = 145) 

Level of Job Satisfaction 

Yes, would 

get involved 

again 

No, would 

not get 

involved 

again 

Yes, but only 

under different 

conditions 

Unsure 

Low or very low job satisfaction 17 2 24 4 

High or very high job satisfaction 88 0 6 4 

Total 105 2 30 8 

Individuals reporting that they would like to get involved again, but only under 

different conditions, provided a number of reasons for their desired change. Fishermen 

reported the desire to work for a different captain, agent, pier location, and in some cases a 

vessel owner of a different ethnicity. The relationship with the captain or other supervisory 

entity often affected perceptions of the Hawaii longline experience: 

 On "Korean-style" boat there are so many regulations—but our boat (Korean) is 

lucky; we don’t have such strict rules. The (vessel) owners have too much authority 

and can decide whatever rules they want—some say you can only have two beers, 

sometimes you sign out to go to the bathroom. 

 The agent takes advantage of crew that work on (specific vessel owner) boats. It 

makes it too hard, next time I’ll come back with a different agency. 

 I am very good friends with the vessel owner. Sometimes he gives me an advance, and 

we help each other out by taking care of things. He listens to what I say. My contract 

is finished and the owner asked me to stay for three more trips, but I have to go home 

and see my family. 

 

42 This contrasted greatly with the views of owners and captains who also were asked if they would encourage 

their children to become involved in the longline fishing industry. Most said they would not. 
35 

 I am going home and will try to come back on a different boat; this captain is no good. 

 I’m earning good money; in the Philippines I was a farmer so fishing is ok. The only 

bad thing is (that I work on a) Korean boat; otherwise Hawaii is great and I can earn 

very good money. 

 The captain has helped me so much; I owe him. 

 The boat here is in better condition than (when I worked in) Guam. The work is easier. 

Only problem is owner, makes fishing unsafe, not proper food, always yelling. 

 It’s good work here, I like it very much, and I am a fisherman. I know everybody here, 

and worked with him (fellow crew) on a Japanese boat. I hope I get a good owner. 

As suggested above, crew attitudes were related to the pier area where they working. 

Eighty percent of Filipino crew working at Pier 17, and 79 percent of crew working at Pier 35, 

reported they would return to the Hawaii longline fleet under the same conditions, compared 

to only 57 percent of those working at Kewalo Basin.43 Similarly, 41 percent of those working 

at vessels docked at Kewalo Basin reported they would like to return to Hawaii but only under 

different conditions, compared to just eight percent working at Pier 17 and 17 percent 

working at Pier 35. 

Behavior Regarding Hawaii-Based Longline Employment 

Another perspective on job satisfaction and attitudes toward returning would be 

measuring the proportions of crew who actually extended their contract or returned to the fleet 

after a visit to the Philippines between contracts. Such an analysis is not entirely 

straightforward because of the dynamic nature of the situation; the study took place over a 

finite slice of time when new crew arrived and existing crew left for a variety of reasons. In 

addition, changing immigration policies and enforcement practices, and responses by 

manning agencies and vessel owners, likely prevented some crew members from returning 

even if that was their preference. 

With these considerations in mind, we attempted to measure the behavior of Filipino 

crew and duration of work in the Hawaii longline industry. The interviewer and 

interpreter/community liaison have continued to periodically visit the docks and monitor the 

current status of individuals interviewed during the study. As of June 2005, 56 percent of the 

sample completed their contract and left the Hawaii longline industry (Table 12). Thirty-two 

of those interviewed completed their contracts and departed, subsequently to return to work 

on a Hawaii longline vessel (either the same or a different vessel). An additional 32 percent 

 

43 Overall, 80 percent of Filipino crew working on Vietnamese-American owned vessels; 61 percent of those 

working on Euro-American vessels, and 40 percent of those working on Korean-American owned vessels said 

they would return under similar conditions. 
36 

remained in Hawaii (through contract extensions) for the duration of the study.44 Filipinos 

who went home prior to completion of their contract were not necessarily dissatisfied with 

their jobs; reasons included being sent home by the captain, owner, or department of 

homeland security, departing for health reasons, or personal/family issues back in the 

Philippines. 

Table 12. Filipino Crew Sample Status in 2005 

STATUS Number Filipino Crew Percent Filipino Crew (%) 

Still in Hawaii 47 32 

Finished contract and came back 32 22 

Finished contract and did not come back 49 34 

Went home before finishing contract 8 6 

Unknown 9 6 

Total 145 100 

Problems Faced in the Hawaii Longline Industry 

As reported above, most Filipinos were satisfied with their longline crew jobs and 

reported they would get involved again in the industry. These positive evaluations were 

supported by their behavior; 54 percent chose to either maintain employment in the industry 

through contract extensions or returned to the industry with a new contract. However, this did 

not mean they had no problems. When the fishermen were provided with the opportunity to 

speak openly about their experiences and talk about the biggest problem they had faced, they 

voiced a number of concerns, although 24 percent said they hadn’t faced any big problems 

(Table 13). 

Table 13. Biggest Problem Faced in Hawaii Longline Fishery 

None 24% 

Problems with supervisor 19% 

Problems with immigration 19% 

Other problem45 13% 

Personal / family problem 8% 

Problems with unstable income 8% 

Problems with agent or agency 5% 

Problem with foreign laborers taking jobs46 2% 

No solidarity / voice within fleet 2% 

 

44 Contract extensions are frequently not recognized by the Philippines Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), 

as they are often not registered with the respective shipmanning agency. 45 Other problems involved fellow crew (on board, or aboard different vessels); incidents arising from boats 

docked for lengthy time periods; or problems stemming from fishery regulations (including prohibition on shark 

finning). 

46 Mentioned in reference to laborers (of different ethnicities) employed during times when it was particularly 

difficult (or expensive) to bring Filipino laborers to Hawaii. Notably, Filipino laborers were not averse to 

Indonesian laborers; reportedly because of the similar language, culture, and shared work experiences aboard 

Japanese vessels. Filipino laborers often reported conflict with individuals from the Republic of Kiribati, 

particularly when responsible for training these new laborers. 
37 

One of the two concerns most frequently mentioned (by 19 percent of crew) was 

problems with a particular supervisor (captain or owner). Researchers observed that many of 

these problems were short-term and remedied during the study. Problems were entered into 

the database if they were persistent or important enough to be a key determinant of future 

plans. Crew members described a variety of unpleasant situations: 

 (Vessel) owners have too much power—if you get a good captain you are ok. Either 

way, it’s better (in Hawaii) than other fisheries. 

 Captain makes everything terrible. I am the deck boss, so he yells at me more; it’s 

always something. All the Filipinos (on board) are good, and we get along. But the 

captain makes life miserable. 

 The captain is always yelling ‘F—— you, f—— you’ and calling us names. I don’t 

know what some of them mean—do you? He’s very mean. But it’s okay. 

 Fishing work would be ok if captain were better. I also don’t like that there is no shore 

pass, and we can’t even go to other vessels to visit Filipinos (crew on other Hawaii 

fishing vessels). 

 The rules of owner when boat is docked are too strict; Korean style. 

 The captain wouldn't buy rice; he has erratic behavior and is not friendly. We are 

trying to call the owner so he can help us, but he (the vessel owner) is not in Hawaii. 

We don’t know how to contact him. 

The last comment reflected one individual speaking on behalf of three Filipino crew. 

Shortly after this conversation, all three crew voluntarily departed for the Philippines after 

only 2 months in Hawaii. Such departures are infrequent. For most, entry into Hawaii is 

difficult, so the work is endured. One crew member completed 3 years of work on a Hawaiibased longline vessel before opting to visit his family in the Philippines. When asked about 

his future plans, he reported “I want to come back to Hawaii; I earn U.S. dollars. There are 

many Filipinos here and it’s a very nice place. I hope I can go back to the Philippines, and 

come back to Hawaii; then I'll say 'Thank you, Lord.’

Problems were also reported with on board issues, such as safety, food, facilities, and 

in some cases the accommodations. Many of these problems were compounded by intrapersonal problems with the captain: 

 He (owner/captain) doesn’t know how to drive, he caused an injury and we were all 

very scared. He also won’t buy food for Filipinos; every day we have to eat 

sandwiches; Filipinos don’t eat that kind of food. 

 He (captain) won’t let us cook Filipino food on the boat because of the smell—but we 

can cook if we go outside so it’s okay. 
38 

 The captain doesn't make enough food. He doesn't make rice; only pizza and food like 

that. The working conditions are bad in the fishing grounds because he’s always 

yelling and fighting. Maybe (the captain drinks) too much whiskey. 

 The captain doesn’t take care of this boat, it’s very unsafe and a very bad boat. 

The other most frequently mentioned problem was entry to the Hawaii longline fleet 

(discussed as ‘immigration’) and enforcement of the mandatory confinement to the pier area 

(Table 13). Nearly all fishermen discussed concerns over entry or complained of not being 

able to obtain a shore pass. However, only those considering these problems to be a major 

concern rather than an annoyance are described here: 

 Immigration is so strict; the owners are fined money and so sometimes they have 

people watch us. 

 Immigration and coast guard are so strict; we can’t even to go Kmart to buy 

cigarettes. We should have shore pass, like Filipinos on the Japanese boats (docking 

in Hawaii). 

 Before, immigration wasn’t so strict. Now sometimes they come in the middle of the 

night; or they come two or three times a day. 

 Immigration stamped my passport ‘Deported’ in one airport on my way here. Then 

after some time a different officer worked, and she let me come to Hawaii. But I don’t 

know what will happen now. 

 Immigration came early in the morning to take him (fellow crew) to the airport, and 

he had to pack right there. Someone must have called them (immigration). 

 There are people hired to watch us now; they work here and when we go outside they 

call immigration. We don’t know who they are. 

One other area of concern, mentioned as the biggest problem faced by 8 percent of the 

crew interviewed, was salary, in terms of its size and lack of stability. Some crew, particularly 

those receiving higher salaries, were at first wary of discussing their pay, while those 

receiving lower salaries were not. Throughout the study, nearly all crew divulged their actual 

and potential salary (including additional on-board pay). In some cases, the discussions 

included issues with policy, discrimination, lack of additional on-board employment, and 

complaints about the captain or owner. 

 Filipinos are low. We only receive such a small salary. 

 The owner won’t show us how much he makes at the auction; we know our bonus is 

too low because we see how much fish we bring in. 
39 

 The captain is very stingy; he’s no good. 

 (Vessel) Owners are making good money—they are very rich; Filipinos here are low, 

but we are making good money for the Philippines. 

Nearly all fishermen suggested they would be more content with a higher salary, but 

still reported that their salary was much higher than that of any job in the Philippines (for 

which they were qualified). Some were disgruntled with a vessel owner who paid salaries 

below the norm for a particular pier area. Some individuals who were performing on-board 

duties for no additional income were also dissatisfied. In both of these cases, fishermen were 

exposed to fellow crew, usually from other vessels, who were receiving higher salaries. 

Eight percent also reported their biggest problem was a result of personal or family 

conditions or events, such as a death or illness in the family, marriage separation, or 

psychological problems in the individual’s personal network. In the case of death or illness, 

some Filipino crew returned to the Philippines while some remained working. Regarding 

marital problems, fishermen reported that the lengthy separation caused extensive marital 

strain. Many fishermen had grown accustomed to such separation because they had worked in 

various other fisheries. During the study, only about 1 percent of Filipino crew reported 

marital separation.47 Self-described psychological problems included individuals explaining 

their job or life satisfaction as very low, and self-reported feelings of depression, leading in 

several cases to reported attempted suicides. 

It may seem peculiar that one of the issues, although voiced by only 2 percent of the 

Filipino crew, was problems with foreign laborers. These concerns were voiced by individuals 

who worked with newly arrived non-Filipino groups of workers. In many cases, experienced 

Filipino crew were asked to train these individuals and work together. Language, cultural 

differences, fear of replacement, and lack of compensation from the vessel owner often made 

this an unpleasant experience for Filipino crew: 

 Now there are Kiribati crew and I’m the only Filipino (on board), so it’s no good. I’m 

supposed to train them (Kiribati crew). I’m not a teacher, I am a fisherman. That’s not 

my job. I shouldn’t teach them. Plus they aren’t good workers, they are lazy. 

Differences Among Pier Areas 

As was the case with crew intentions to return to or remain in the longline industry, 

crew attitudes were related to their working location. In different pier areas, particular 

problems were often dominant depending on restrictions imposed by the vessel owner, the 

geographic pier location and its neighborhood context, and restrictions imposed by regulatory 

bodies, most notably the Department of Homeland Security (Table 14). 

 

47 Marital separation included (a) wives abandoning husbands; and (b) husbands filing for divorce in the United 

States (which is not recognized in the Philippines). 
40 

Crew on vessels docked at Kewalo Basin reported a higher frequency of problems; 

31 percent reported problems with a supervisor. Boats at Kewalo Basin include predominately 

Korean-American operated vessels (in addition to a limited number of Euro-American 

vessels). Crew frequently reported cultural differences in dealing with the “Korean-style” 

onboard relationships characterizing these vessel owners. Similarly, Kewalo Basin was the 

only place were Filipino crew (14 percent) reported problems with their affiliated agency or 

agent and where crew complained of foreign labor taking their fishing jobs. This was in large 

part a result of the 2004 influx of crew from The Republic of Kiribati. As expected, only 12 

percent of Filipino crew at Kewalo basin reported having no significant problems in the 

longline industry, compared to 30 and 33 percent at Pier 17 and Pier 35, respectively (Table 

14). 

Table 14. Biggest Problem Identified by Filipino Crew, by Pier Location 

Problem Percent Citing Issue as Largest Problem 

 Pier 17 (%) Kewalo Basin (%) Pier 35 (%) 

None 30 12 33 

Problems with Supervisor 13 31 13 

Immigration Issue 17 14 33 

Other 15 10 13 

Personal/Family Problem 13 2 8 

Unstable Income 11 6 0 

Problems with Agent/Agency 0 14 0 

Foreign Labor Taking Jobs 0 6 0 

No solidarity/voice within fleet 1 4 0 

Filipino Crew Opinions of Fishery Management 

The owner is responsible for following regulations and the captain is in charge at sea, 

but the crew are typically the practitioners. We were interested to learn what they knew about 

fishing regulations, their opinions about the impact of regulations on fishing, and their beliefs 

about the effectiveness of regulations. This topic included experiences with fisheries 

observers who live onboard at sea with the crew for weeks at a time. 

In many cases, discussions of ‘fisheries regulations’ prompted confusion about the 

respective responsibilities and duties of the United States Coast Guard, the Department of 

Homeland Security (immigration), and the NMFS’s Enforcement and Observer programs. 

Filipino crew did not identify a great number of problems with fishery management. A large 

portion of the Filipino crew reported little awareness or understanding of regulations (Table 

15). 
41 

Table 15: Filipino Crew Rating of Fishing-Related Issues 

Not A Problem 

(%) 

Somewhat of a 

Problem (%) 

Very Much a 

Problem (%) 

Not Aware of 

Regulations (%)

Problems with Overall 

Regulations48 50 14 1 35 

Problems with 

Swordfish Closure 24 8 1 67 

One recent regulatory action affecting fishermen in the Hawaii longline industry was 

the 2002 swordfish closure. As the study began, the swordfish closure was a relatively recent 

occurrence and still a sensitive subject for many vessel owners. This was not the case for crew, 

as many Filipinos were unaware of the nature of the closure and were further unaware of any 

impacts this may have had on their own situation. Commonly, when Filipino crew were asked 

about previous or potential opinions of swordfishing, fishermen replied “I don’t know 

anything about swordfishing’ or “It doesn’t matter.” Those that did perceive impacts of the 

closure were generally not too troubled, although nine percent reported dissatisfaction with 

the closure, usually because salaries were lower. 

A model swordfishery opened during the course of this research in 2004. Filipino crew 

initially expressed a dislike for swordfishing: 

 I don’t like to fish swordfish, the water is too rough and the job is too demanding. And 

it’s so cold. 

 I wouldn’t like to fish swordfish because it’s too cold—but I would still. 

 I’ve heard swordfish is too much work, and the trips are longer and rougher. 

After some experience with swordfish, their negative opinions lessened. A few crew 

reported having trouble with the change in working conditions such as colder weather and 

rougher seas. Others were docked for some time when their vessel was converted from tuna 

fishing to swordfish fishing. In virtually all cases, the switch from tuna to swordfish (and back, 

in some cases) was not a source of widespread dissatisfaction among the crew. 

A majority of Filipino crew reported that information regarding fishing regulations 

trickled down from the vessel owner or captain as necessary. When asked about additional 

sources of information, no crew members reported obtaining information from the Western 

Pacific Fishery Management Council, 2 percent reported getting information from the 

National Marine Fisheries Service log book collector, 5 percent by reading publications from 

the National Marine Fisheries Service, 20 percent from National Marine Fisheries Service’s 

Enforcement (agents or incidents), and 38 percent from the Coast Guard. Filipino crew 

volunteered that observers were an additional source of information. As regulations changed 

 

48 These referred to additive consideration of the fishery regulations in place; generally taken as swordfish 

closure, considerations for line length, and Coast Guard requirements. During the study, regulations changed., 

and with the opening of the model swordfishery in Hawaii, new regulations on boats targeting swordfish were 

implemented. The fish auction also began requiring fish to be gutted and gilled. 
42 

during the course of the study, however, fishermen frequently asked the researchers questions 

and expressed confusion. 

 

Filipino Crew Opinions of Strategies for Decreasing Bycatch 

Conservation efforts to protect sea birds, specifically in collaboration with efforts to 

protect particular species of sea turtles, have resulted in dramatic regulatory changes to the 

Hawaii-based longline fleet. The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 

developed an amendment to its Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to mitigate 

sea bird interactions and submitted the final framework document to National Marine 

Fisheries Service for approval on December 15, 1999 (Cousins, pers. comm.). The Council’s 

efforts concerning sea bird mitigation were superseded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(USFWS, 2002); the latter agency initiated an ESA biological opinion on interactions between 

the longline fishery and sea birds, particularly the endangered short-tailed albatross. This 

biological opinion was completed on November 2000 and required Hawaii-based longline 

boats fishing north of 23°N to use a variety of mitigation measures anticipated to reduce the 

level of sea bird interactions.49 

Two mitigation measures required for vessels while fishing north of 23°N included 

using blue dyed bait and retaining (and strategically discarding) fish offal. About 46 percent 

of Filipino crew interviewed reported opinions on use of offal, and 47 percent of Filipino 

crew reported opinions on blue dyed bait. Some crew were not asked about the subject, while 

some simply did not answer when asked. The number of fishermen with ‘no experience’ using 

either technique might be higher, because some fishermen simply became quiet when asked 

about the use of blue dyed bait or offal. 

Varied understandings of the purpose of the mitigation techniques of both blue dyed 

bait and retaining offal were reported. A number of fishermen reported using blue dyed bait 

early in the fishing trip, and using offal later in the trip (after catching fish from which to use 

the offal). Some crew believed that this was only required when observers were on board, 

while others believed the system of using first blue dyed bait, followed by discarding offal, 

was standard. Other crew spoke of the two strategies as a choice, for example explaining that 

‘we don’t throw the offal, we use blue bait instead’. Filipino crew often asked questions about 

the use of these strategies, with considerable confusion over the anticipated effects. The 

mitigation techniques themselves and the opinions expressed by Filipino crew are explored 

below. 

 

Blue Dyed Bait: One recommended strategy to reduce bycatch of seabirds was the use 

of blue dyed bait. The intent was to reduce the contrast between the bait color and sea color. 

The blue dye consists of a powder that is mixed with water prior to use. The bait is thawed, 

 

49 These measures were largely based on National Marine Fisheries Service and Council research. In February 

1999, NMFS scientists conducted at-sea trials including the use of bird-scaring streamers, blue-dyed bait, and 

weighted branch lines (Boggs, 2001). Similar trials were undertaken on commercial fishing vessels in a project 

conducted by the Council (McNamara et al., 1999). (Ito and Machado, 2001).
43 

separated, and soaked in a mixture of sea water and blue food coloring. (WPFMC, 2004). Bait 

is dipped into the mixture for a short time (less than one minute) prior to use. 

Many crew simply thought that dying the bait made no difference; 46 percent 

discussing blue dyed bait reported no positive or negative impacts (Table 16). 

Table 16. Filipino Crew Opinions on Effectiveness of Blue Dyed Bait 

 

Percent (%) 

Fishermen (n = 69) 

No experience 34 

Experience; no effects 46 

Experience; no effects on productivity; positive bycatch reduction 4 

Experience; negative effects on productivity; no reduction of bycatch 14 

Total 100 

Fishermen having experience with blue dyed bait generally reported it was not a problem: 

 Not too much difference; we just have to use it when we have observers. 

 It doesn't really do anything different; sometimes the captain makes us use it, but it 

doesn't really change anything with the birds. 

 It’s no problem; we use it when (we fish) far north, no problem. It doesn’t make 

anything different; the birds act the same. 

 It doesn't make us catch less fish, but it doesn't make us catch less birds. The work of 

the crew is the same; we only have to dip the bait (in dye). 

 We have to use it when we are fishing more shallow; it’s no big deal. 

Only 4 percent of Filipino crew believed that the blue dyed bait reduced bycatch. All 

of these fishermen also reported that there was no effect (positive or negative) on the actual 

productivity of fishing. A slightly higher proportion, 14 percent, reported there was no 

reduction in bycatch, but there was decreased productivity when using blue dyed bait. 

Comments expressed by this group of fishermen included: 

 We have to use (blue dyed bait) when observers are present; the blue dye is messy and 

takes time. 

 I’ve heard it’s so we don’t catch birds. It doesn't work and is takes up too much time. 

Plus it’s so messy; it’s just a waste of time. Also some use flags to distract the birds 

away. That doesn’t make any difference either. 

 It’s so messy! I don’t like to use it. 
44 

The number of Filipino crew reporting ‘no experience’ with blue dyed bait included 

those working on boats that did not fish in areas where the use of blue dyed bait was required, 

and those on board a boat where the technique was not used. As blue dyed bait was only 

required in certain areas, many fishermen reported only using the dyed bait in those areas or 

in the presence of an observer. Few, if any, Filipino crew reported using blue dyed bait in 

areas where it was not required. 

Strategic Offal Discard: Another requirement of longline fishing vessels was to 

discard offal (remains from previously caught fish) to distract sea birds during the setting or 

hauling of longline gear. This was carried out by one crew member, who discarded the offal 

from the opposite side of the vessel while the remaining crew set or hauled in the fishing gear. 

This intends to lure seabirds away from the line during setting and hauling so they do not 

become entangled by hooks. 

Nearly half of the Filipino crew who discussed the use of retaining and subsequently 

discarding offal reported having used this technique. Of those, 43 percent reported seeing no 

effects from its use (Table 17). 

Table 17. Filipino Crew Opinions of Seabird Mitigation Technique: Retaining Offal 

 

Percent (%) 

Responding (n = 67) 

No experience 49 

Experience; no effects 43 

Experience, negative effects on productivity and positive bycatch reduction 2 

Experience, negative effects on productivity and no bycatch reduction 6 

Total 100 

Eight percent believed that retaining and discarding offal had a negative effect on vessel 

productivity. Comments usually emphasized the additional labor required to discard offal. 

 We catch the same amount of fish, but it’s not good for the labor because we waste 

one person who has to throw it off. 

 It’s no good, the blue dyed bait and the offal takes too much work. 

 Whenever observers are on board we have more rules to follow that are inconvenient. 

Filipino Crew Opinions of the Observer Program 

Between 1987 and1991, NMFS relied exclusively on shoreside sampling for Hawaiibased longline vessel activity and landings estimates (Ito, 1994). To collect more reliable data, 

a federal logbook system was implemented in 1990 requiring recording of target species and 

incidental catch for each trip. In 1994, analysis of logbook data resulted in an estimated 

number of sea turtle interactions that exceeded the level allowed by the Biological Opinion 

(NMFS, 2001a). NMFS replaced voluntary observer placement with a mandatory program in 

February 1994, primarily to document interactions of longline gear with sea turtles. The 
45 

Pacific Islands Regional Office in Honolulu is responsible for monitoring vessel activity and 

deploying observers. 

More than half of Filipino crew members reported having no problems with observers. 

Moreover, 13 percent reported that they preferred having observers present on board. Of those 

reporting problems, only 2 percent found these problems to be major, while the remaining 28 

percent rated their concerns with the observer program as moderate (Table 18). Analysis 

revealed that most problems reported were not with particular observers, but with the idea and 

presence of any observer onboard. Just 3 percent reported specific problems with individuals. 

Following is a description of some of the perceived positive aspects of observers, followed by 

a discussion of some of the perceived negative effects. 

Table 18. Extent of Problems Reported by Filipino Fishermen 

Extent of Problems Percent (%) Selecting 

Each Level 

No Problems 57 

Moderate Problems 28 

Prefer Observers 13 

Major Problems 2 

Filipino Crew Preference for Observers: Filipino crew members who reported a 

preference for having observers on board typically offered one of three reasons: (1) vessel 

operators treated crew better with observers present; (2) observers were a good source of 

fishery information; or (3) the additional company was enjoyable. 

One of the most commonly stated reasons crew preferred observers on board was that 

vessel captains/operators were more polite to crew when observers were present: 

 No problems; try to turn to observers for help regarding the captain's bad practices. 

We hope that the observer will make captain have better behavior—at least towards 

the crew. 

 Captain doesn't yell as frequently. Plus the food and provisions on board are much 

better when an observer is present. 

 No problems; I’ve worked with observers and it’s okay—actually it’s better because 

the captain is nicer to us. 

 The captain is nicer when we have observers. 

 Owner is nicer in fishing ground when observers are with us. 

One Filipino crew member who favored having observers on-board because it 

improved the captain’s treatment of crew also said that the physical work done by observers 

was useful. He noted that some of the observers accomplished more fishing-related work than 

some of the non-Filipino foreign crew. 
46 

Filipino fishermen reported that observers were a reliable source of information about 

fishing regulations. Crew working on Vietnamese-American and Korean-American vessels 

sometimes expressed difficulty communicating with vessel operators because of language 

barriers, reporting more effective communication with observers. As a result, some crew 

members reported feeling comfortable asking questions of observers: 

 No problems; observers are a great source of information on fishing regulations. 

 No problems; prefer observers on board because they are fun, and add something 

new, because sometimes the fishing ground is very boring. They also answer questions 

and provide information about regulations. 

Filipino fishermen also reported that the presence of observers was preferable simply 

because the company was welcomed. Although limited numbers of vessel owners, captains, 

and/or local crew revealed personal relationships with observers, these were quite commonly 

reported among Filipino crew. Furthermore, these relationships were generally highly valued 

among these individuals. Crew reported turning to observers as friends, to answer questions 

regarding fishing and acculturation to Hawaii. Crew considered particular observers as part of 

an extended social network. Crew members often expressed boredom with their job and felt 

observers eased the monotony of fishing for long time periods. The Filipino fishermen told 

stories of joking and laughing with observers and reported that they were sometimes uplifted 

by their presence: 

 Observers are no problem. We (Filipino crew) like to have observers around for 

company—we can talk with them, and make jokes. They are good company; no 

problems. 

 No problem with observers; boat has space for lots of people, so it’s no problem. The 

observers are sometimes enjoyable to have around; someone different. 

Nice to have them around, more interesting to have someone new there, and if we ever 

have a bad captain it's even better to have the company. 

 It’s nice to have observers around, sometimes; it just makes our work less boring. 

Many Filipino crew members remained in contact with certain observers after their 

trips at sea, viewing them as friends. The crew generally prided their relationships with 

persons of other ethnicities (i.e., non-Filipino). The fishermen were proud if observers would 

learn small phrases in a Filipino language, or share Filipino food or other aspects of the 

culture. Similarly, Filipino crew often stated that observers were influential in assisting with 

learning of the English language and American culture. A number of favorable comments 

were specific to female observers: 

 Last trip there was a female observer and our boat doesn't have enough beds—so I 

offered to give the observer mine, and slept on the cot. I never would have done that 

for a man observer! 
47 

 It just depends on the individuals. Some people are very nice to have around and some 

aren't. Some make things take too long, but that’s okay. One of the female observers is 

my good friend. 

 Observers decrease our catch. But overall I like the different company, particularly 

when we have female observers. I have remained friends with some observers and 

enjoy their company. 

 Sometimes we work harder when female observers are around. We want to look good! 

Problems with Observers: The most frequently expressed complaint regarding the 

observer program was that of decreased productivity, constituting 90 percent of the nature of 

all complaints expressed. For most, any slowdown in operations resulted in a moderate 

financial loss. One Filipino crew member explained that observers decreased the speed of 

work on board, adding that the situation was further aggravated because his captain forbade 

crew from talking with observers. Additional comments included the following: 

 Observers slow down our work, decrease the catch-—we work more and are paid less. 

 We just can’t make as much money, we work slower with observers. 

 Observers decrease what we catch, and what we earn. 

 The primary problem is that the observers slow down our work; but it’s also very 

dangerous because when observers are on board we always have to bring in live 

sharks, and it’s very dangerous to do that.’ 

Some Filipino crew reported satisfaction with observers on a personal level, but 

dissatisfaction about fishing efficiency and associated earnings: 

 I have very good friends that are observers. But when they come we work slow on 

board, and can’t earn as much money. But many observers are my friends. 

 When observers are on board it slows down work. They are generally inconvenient to 

have around. Some are personally a problem, but not most. I still talk to some now. 

They come and visit because they are my friends. 

 It’s very nice to have female observers. The other observers . . . sometimes the people 

are nice and fun, but mostly they are really just difficult. Overall they make us catch 

less fish, they slow down our work, and they generally are just inconvenient to have 

around. 

 

One individual said observers are no good because they lower the catch. Further 

prompting revealed that he had never in fact worked on a vessel with an observer, but had 

heard from fellow crew that observer presence lowered the catch and subsequent earnings. 
48 

When fishermen reported that the presence of observers decreased productivity, catch or 

earnings, researchers asked about relationships between the observers and the described 

decreased productivity. Financial losses were felt to varied extents, with the smallest 

generally being decreased landings resulting in a decreased catch bonus (when paid). Larger 

financial losses were faced by crew on vessels where shark finning took place; this currently 

illegal activity is not conducted when observers are on the trip. 

 

Many crew discussed their opinions of the observers in the context of the perceived 

impact of observer on the vessel operator. Some crew noted changes in the behavior of the 

captain, for example, and subsequently considered such a change as resulting from the 

observer. A few Filipino crew often found observer presence a source of aggravation for the 

vessel owner or captain. Some crew expressed relative indifference at such aggravations, 

while some found the aggravation of the owner problematic: 

 I have no problems with observers, they are fine. Only the captain doesn't like them 

because he doesn't like to have people watching him. We (crew) don't mind. 

 Owner is always very unhappy when there is an observer on board. But it's not too 

much different for our work; the vessel sleeps six so there is adequate space for 

observer. 

 I’ve worked with a number of observers, I have no problem with the program. 

Sometimes I don’t like particular individuals, and sometimes I notice that captain 

doesn't like observers, but I don’t mind the whole thing. 

 No problems with observers. The captain’s wife doesn't allow female observers on 

board so we always have male observers. They are nice, no trouble. 

 Observers are no problem. The only thing is the captain doesn't like to have female 

observers because his wife gets upset. 

CONCLUSIONS 

This research gathered information through both participant observation and 

individual and group interviews, creating a snapshot of the Hawaii longline industry from 

2003 to 2005. The many changes reported in crew practices for entering the industry and 

working in the industry reflect the dynamic nature of manning the Hawaii longline fleet. For 

many crew interviewed, the situation or experience in the industry was equally dynamic, 

particularly for those working on different vessels, in different pier areas, or for owners of 

different ethnicities. 

It is clear that many owners of Hawaii-based longline vessels exerted considerable 

effort to obtain foreign Filipino crew. During interviews conducted as part of this study, 

vessel owners and captains reported several reasons that Filipino crew were desirable. As 

expected, some fishermen reported that the monthly salaries paid to these crew were lower, 
49 

because Filipinos were paid flat salaries and not a percentage. However, throughout the study, 

vessel owners began spending large amounts of money to obtain Filipino crew. 

Many vessel owners saw Filipino crew as experienced fishermen with trade skills such 

as welding or mechanics. Vessel owners reported saving money in vessel repairs and 

maintenance as a result having these tradesmen on board. Vessel owners often reported that 

Filipino crew were familiar with fishing, worked hard and were prepared for the physical 

demands of the job, and adjusted to the difficulties of the fishing lifestyle (such as time away 

from family). 

Other vessel owners reported Filipino crew were beneficial because of their reliability. 

Filipino crew were confined to the boat or pier area, so a vessel owner could be sure that a 

vessel was fully manned and ready to depart on time; owners reported this was not always a 

given with local crew. Filipino crew living on the vessel provided increased security for the 

docked vessel, noting considerable fishing time could be lost while attempting to obtain crew. 

Some vessel owners who had used non-Filipino crew reported that Filipino crew were 

preferable because they were well-mannered on board, demonstrated appropriate personal 

hygiene, and looked after the property of the vessel. 

A number of Hawaii-longline vessel owners opted not to use Filipino crew (or any 

foreign crew), relying on locally based crew of various ethnicities. This practice, though 

limited, was most common among Euro-American-owned vessels. In some cases, owners 

using foreign laborers believed that the use of Filipino crew was a divisive subject among 

Euro-American vessel owners. Some owners and captains reported that owners who did not 

use foreign crew added to the difficulties of owners who used Filipino crew, claiming that 

particular owners attempted to restrict the entry of foreign laborers. Others believed that these 

individuals attempted to report foreign laborers when in violation of regulations (such as 

remaining in the pier area). In other cases, fishermen reported that the primary determinant in 

hiring foreign or locally based crew was the vessel size, with owners of larger vessels (having 

greater overhead expenses) needing to hire foreign laborers for financial reasons. 

Crew members interviewed and observed during the course of the study demonstrated 

generally high levels of satisfaction with their jobs, especially in consideration of employment 

alternatives in other fisheries or the Philippines. Determinants of job satisfaction included 

salary, agency affiliation, pier location, and owner ethnicity as well as the prestige associated 

with overseas employment as a seafarer. Although the correlations among such factors were 

high, cause-and-effect relationships were difficult to distinguish. Overall trends in salary or 

return rates, for example, were often affected by the agency, which may be the agency of 

choice for individuals of a particular ethnic group that may dock together at a particular pier 

location. 

As Filipino crew remained employed in the Hawaii longline industry, they brought 

family and friends along. They also began to develop methods for coping with the challenges 

faced. Many crew, for example, switched manning agencies during the course of the study. 

Overall, however, the job satisfaction of crew remains high, and those who sought to change 

their actual situation (and job satisfaction) often succeeded. 
50 

Worldwide, laborers working overseas may be subject to a variety of documented 

mistreatments. Extensive interviews and observation over a 2-year period found that this was 

not the case for Filipinos working on Hawaii-based longline vessels. To be sure, Filipino crew 

cited a number of sources of dissatisfaction with the living or working environment in the 

Hawaii longline industry. Some crew simply tolerated areas of dissatisfaction, particularly 

those who felt lucky to have obtained a comparatively high-paying job. However, in many 

cases where obstacles existed, they were perceived as small issues that were often resolved (in 

many cases, during the course of the study). Some obstacles, such as bad relationships with a 

supervisor, were sufficient enough to prompt an individual to leave the industry (usually upon 

completion of a contract), only to return on board a different vessel. An overwhelmingly high 

number of Filipino crew reported the intent to return to the Hawaii longline industry, as many 

did throughout this research. 

A strong coping mechanism and source of satisfaction were the social networks of the 

crew that resembled those present in a place-based community. The network of fellow crew 

members provided a strong source of support, mitigating the effects of not being able to leave 

the pier areas. Owners who allowed more extensive interactions with other crew, whether on 

their own or other vessels, were therefore preferred and helped to improve crew satisfaction. 

In addition to associating extensively with fellow crew, many of whom had worked together 

in other fisheries, the Filipino fishermen created an extended social network reaching into 

Honolulu’s broad Filipino community. The presence of numerous Filipinos in Hawaii 

facilitated this network by reducing feelings of detachment from the Philippines. 

Owners of Hawaii-based longline vessels have cited their ability to hire and retain 

desired crew members as one of their top challenges. Just during the course of this study, 

groups of vessel owners experimented with a wide range of crew nationalities and methods of 

bringing foreign crew into the country. The dynamic nature of immigration policy and 

enforcement procedures, especially in a post 9-11 environment, add another layer of 

uncertainty to longline industry viability. 

There has been much discussion about the procedures for admitting Filipino crew 

members into the country on their transient visa status, and some indications that this may 

change in the future. One possibility is use of a different visa category that would allow 

Filipinos crew members into the country for three years at a time, while providing for their 

ability to leave the dock area. In return, there would be more careful scrutiny of potential crew 

members, including health and background checks. This change would likely be welcomed by 

Filipino crew although it would depend on the nature of the checks and other costs and 

logistical requirements. It could also alter the nature of crew interactions described in this 

report. 

Immigration is the province of the Department of Homeland Security, not NMFS, but 

awareness of evolving immigration policies could be important in understanding vessel owner 

motivations and reactions to fishing management decisions. 

Crew provide information not just about themselves but also about vessel owners and 

captains and other aspects of life onboard. As such, they provide information about onboard 
51 

dynamics and events that one could probably not learn any other way. Observers are another 

source of information, but it is already known that their presence changes onboard behavior. 

Continuing to check in regularly with the crew thus provides information not obtainable any 

other way. Much of this information is useful to fishery managers as they develop new 

regulatory mechanisms, so a “maintenance” level of contact would be useful. The information 

should also be valuable to vessel owners; given their struggle with manning vessels, they 

would be wise to try to understand their Filipino crew and sources of satisfaction and 

dissatisfaction. 

 

Even after the formal portion of the study ended, the researcher and 

interpreter/community liaison continued to pay regular visits to all three pier areas. They 

continued to hear more stories that illustrate key concepts learned, as well as new ones that 

provide hypotheses for future study. Ongoing visits also reflected the participant-observation 

character of the study; the researcher and community liaison are a source of support and 

information for many crew, and provide a forum for discussion about fisheries issues. Just 

because the formal study has ended does not mean that the relationships and trust, developed 

carefully over time, should be abandoned. 

Finally, we noted that we could find few references to other fleet-wide studies of crew. 

We hope such studies are undertaken in the future to allow comparison of conditions and 

perceptions of Hawaii longline fleet crew with those of crew from other fleets. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank interpreter/community liaison Daniel Isidro for his 

absolutely invaluable contribution to the study. His cheery dedication was reflected by his 

willingness to spend long hours at the docks as well as in NMFS offices, reviewing field notes 

and draft analyses. He spent many additional hours without pay providing services to Filipino 

crew members and by the end of the study was regarded as a full member of the Filipino crew 

community. 

We’d also like to thank the Filipino crew who opened up their lives to us during the 

interviews; we tried to get it right because their stories are worth telling and should make a 

difference. They were not only willing, concerned respondents but generous hosts. Finally, 

mahalo to the longline owners and captains who provided us with access to their crew. We 

promise not to bother you again—for a while. 
52 

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Availability of NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS 

Copies of this and other documents in the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS series 

issued by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center are available online at the PIFSC Web 

site http://www.pifsc.noaa.gov in PDF format. In addition, this series and a wide range of 

other NOAA documents are available in various formats from the National Technical 

Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, U.S.A. [Tel: (703)-605-

6000]; URL: http://www.ntis.gov. A fee may be charged. 

Recent issues of NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC are listed below: 

NOAA-TM-NMFS-PIFSC-1 The Hawaiian monk seal in the Northwestern 

 Hawaiian Islands, 2001. 

 T. C. JOHANOS and J. D. BAKER (comps. and eds.) 

 (April 2004) 

 2 Contingency plan for Hawaiian monk seal Unusual 

 Mortality Events. 

 P. K. YOCHEM, R. C. BRAUN, B. RYON, 

 J. D. BAKER, and G. A. ANTONELIS 

 (May 2004) 

 3 Modeling a very rare event to estimate sea turtle 

 bycatch: lessons learned. 

 M. L. MCCRACKEN 

 (November 2004) 

 4 Evaluation of time-area closures to reduce incidental 

 sea turtle take in the Hawaii-based longline fishery: 

 generalized additive model (GAM) development and 

 restrospective examination. 

 D. R. KOBAYASHI and J. J. POLOVINA 

 (March 2005) 

 5 The Hawaiian monk seal in the Northwestern 

 Hawaiian Islands, 2002. 

 T. C. JOHANOS and J. D. BAKER (comps. and eds.) 

 (July 2005)