Alaskan Observers provided an apartment, a daily allowance for food, and a daily wage during the training period. Upon completing the requirements of the training I was assigned to a vessel.
Vessels fish in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and off the coasts of Washington and Oregon.
Assignments to the vessel types vary depending on the fisheries open at the time of your contract. You may be moved to a different vessel up to five times. Once aboard your vessel you are responsible for collecting data, recording violations and keeping a daily log. The sampling methods you use depend upon the conditions of your particular vessel as well as the fishery in which you are working. The vessel is responsible for providing you with their log information, cooporation, safety information, food, and a bunk.