The reality is, that for every success, there are many failures. A prospective crew member's chance for a profitable season will be enhanced by careful assessment of job openings and close attention to details regarding any job offer. During harvest seasons, prospective crew members must walk the fishing docks to follow up each word of mouth lead to speak with the skipper personally. The travel and waiting for such an opportunity can be costly, both physically and monetarily. Crew members rarely leave good jobs, so only a small percentage of hopefuls find their berth in this manner.
Commercial fishing is rated as one of the most hazardous occupations in America .
Reputable boat operators rarely have serious mishaps, nor do they lose good crew members through misunderstandings. It is a good idea to find out why the departed crew member left. A vessel with numerous crew vacancies during the harvest season warrants investigation before new crew accept a job on it. Minimum wage laws do not apply to crew member jobs in the industry. However, certain federal and state laws concerning hiring of persons under the age of 18 do apply.