Under Federal maritime law, fishers who are injured or become ill while serving on a vessel receive disability benefits. For example, fishers may work in seafood processing plants, fishing and marine equipment businesses, or in construction. These high-paid workers usually are ships captains. Outlook Nationally, employment of commercial fishers is expected to decline through 2008. Fishing occupations depend on the ability of stock to replenish itself through growth and reproduction.
Many types of fish are below the level at which they can replenish themselves easily.
Thus fishing for these types of fish has been reduced or prohibited. Because fishers are limited in the type of fish they can capture, fewer fishers will be able to survive in this business. Other factors will affect employment in this occupation. In some areas, pollution has reduced the stock of fish. Consequently, the demand for fishers has been reduced.