Floaters process seafood delivered from inshore fishers and usually rely on other motor vessels to move them from one location to another. Work on floaters may be paid by the hour rather than by crew share. A variety of larger vessels dominate the deeper offshore reaches of the coastal waters. Vessel size ranges from about 50 to over 300 feet in length. The primary gear types are trawl, pot and long-line.
Factory trawlers are capable of harvesting and processing simultaneously.
Corporations usually own the large vessels. Most are based out of California, Oregon and Washington, while a small number are based in Alaska. Vessels of this type are normally fully crewed before they depart their home port for the offshore fishing grounds of Alaska. Many of the offshore companies have developed recruitment efforts to hire workers in Alaska. For job seekers in Anchorage, the Anchorage Employment Service seafood office at 3301 Eagle Street is an excellent resource.