OT: Need The Skinny On Commercial Fishermen Apprenticeships For A 16-Year-Old

[RutgersRaRa]

Looking for my nephew, preferably in NJ, for this summer in preparation for a possible career, as his only interest in life is fishing. It's a rough life, I get that, but it's all he cares about so we might as well get him going this summer so he can see what it's like. Anyone with knowledge or a contact for met to find out how it works? TIA.

 

[newell138]

I don't personally know them but a few of my daughters friend's dads are clammers, its a hard job but the few times that I have talked to them they tell me they love it and wouldn't trade it for any other job. They seem to do OK financially too. If he is interested in commercial fishing I would look in Cape May, if I'm not mistaken its one of the largest if not the largest commercial fishing fleets on the east coast. Now would be the time to start looking for the summer, I would imagine jobs go fast.

 

[RU4Real]

I don't personally know them but a few of my daughters friend's dads are clammers, its a hard job but the few times that I have talked to them they tell me they love it and wouldn't trade it for any other job. They seem to do OK financially too. If he is interested in commercial fishing I would look in Cape May, if I'm not mistaken its one of the largest if not the largest commercial fishing fleets on the east coast. Now would be the time to start looking for the summer, I would imagine jobs go fast.

There's a fair amount of commercial fishing done out of the Manasquan area, as well.

The key question is "what kind of commercial fishing"? Two possibilities come to mind - either working a pure commercial boat or working a charter. There are a lot more opportunities with the latter than the former.

 

[RU85inFla]

Also does he want to go out on a boat that leaves the dock daily or stays out for extended periods.

 

[MOBFreehold]

Has to decide on actual fishing or a lobster boat as there are quite a few of those. Some out of Shark River Inlet in Neptune

 

[Scarlet4Shore]

My boss's son started as a mate on a 6 pack charter, and has since gotten his 6 pack captain's license. He started in the Merchant Marines and was on a container ship before coming home and working on the charter.

 

[MOBFreehold]

My boss's son started as a mate on a 6 pack charter, and has since gotten his 6 pack captain's license. He started in the Merchant Marines and was on a container ship before coming home and working on the charter.

I know a few people who worked as Merchant Marine at a young age Really set them up nicely. Got to see the world Got to learn everything about a ship. Plus great pay to get a leg up if you are smart and sock most away

 

[RUScrew85]

I used to write software used to load container ships - always wanted to go for a cruise on one...

 

[cicero grimes]

There are also quite a few commercial boats that operate out of Belford. Also a bunch in Point Pleasant. Might want to start there. Both also have commercial fisheries and co-ops so you might get some info on boats from those sources.

 

[Upstream]

There's a fair amount of commercial fishing done out of the Manasquan area, as well.

The key question is "what kind of commercial fishing"? Two possibilities come to mind - either working a pure commercial boat or working a charter. There are a lot more opportunities with the latter than the former.

Charter is a lot more fun. I have a friend who owns a charter boat. For him, he's getting paid to go out to fishing, something he used to pay others to let him do. But he doesn't make enough money off the charter to support his family. He has a less fun full-time job to pay the bills.

Commercial fishing, on the other hand, is really hard work. Have the nephew spend a summer on a commercial boat, and he might decide being a computer programmer isn't so bad.

 

[patk89]

Charter is a lot more fun. I have a friend who owns a charter boat. For him, he's getting paid to go out to fishing, something he used to pay others to let him do. But he doesn't make enough money off the charter to support his family. He has a less fun full-time job to pay the bills.

Commercial fishing, on the other hand, is really hard work. Have the nephew spend a summer on a commercial boat, and he might decide being a computer programmer isn't so bad.

Knew a guy who during a summer break from Univ of Colorado signed up with a commercial boat out of the Pacific Northwest. This thing went way out to sea and was gone for extended periods. They made the college guy the cook. Said it was rough but he got paid very well for that time period. Dangerous work as well. He never wanted to do it again, one summer was all he could handle. Learning experience.

 

[famousbill19]

Would this be of interest?

http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/sedge_summer16.htm

 

[RU4Real]

"I'm not talkin' about pleasure boatin' or daysailin'... I'm talkin' about workin' for a living. I'm talkin' about sharkin'!"

 

[RUScrew85]

"I'm not talkin' about pleasure boatin' or daysailin'... I'm talkin' about workin' for a living. I'm talkin' about sharkin'!"

We're gonna need a bigger boat?

 

[RU4Real]

We're gonna need a bigger boat?

"Yeah, that's real fine expensive gear you brought out here, Mr. Hooper. `Course I don't know what that bastard shark's gonna do with it... might eat it I suppose. Seen one eat a rockin' chair one time."

 

[koleszar]

"You go in the cage. Cage goes in the water, you in the water. Shark in the water, our shark. Farewell and Adieu to you spanish ladies Farewell and Adieu"

 

[RUSK97]

Goodness, what a tough life. Does your nephew have to be on a boat? Not exactly the same thing, but I had a dormmate at Cook who did an internship at the Haskins Shellfish Research Station and went on to work for a few years in aquaculture up in Maine, farming oysters. Actually, you always end up in a boat anyhow.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

http://marine.rutgers.edu/rumfs/

Maybe ask these guys about summer job possibilities?

 

[RUSK97]

Goodness, what a tough life. Does your nephew have to be on a boat? Not exactly the same thing, but I had a dormmate at Cook who did an internship at the Haskins Shellfish Research Station and went on to work for a few years in aquaculture up in Maine, farming oysters. Actually, you always end up in a boat anyhow.

Or this...http://hsrl.rutgers.edu/outreach/votech.htm

 

[RutgersRaRa]

There's a fair amount of commercial fishing done out of the Manasquan area, as well.

The key question is "what kind of commercial fishing"? Two possibilities come to mind - either working a pure commercial boat or working a charter. There are a lot more opportunities with the latter than the former.

Would love to see him get work for a week or more, but my guess is he might start with charter since that's what he's familiar with--he might need to get more sea legs under him before overnighting (for a week or more). The ultimate goal would be to help him get an occupation as opposed to a hobby, since, even though he's inherently bright, he hates schoolwork more than anyone I've ever met. And in case you're wondering, I've met Mr. Screw.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

I know a few people who worked as Merchant Marine at a young age Really set them up nicely. Got to see the world Got to learn everything about a ship. Plus great pay to get a leg up if you are smart and sock most away

I'm gonna look into this for him as well. The one thing that cannot be required is bookwork. For whatever reason, he's a 100% hands-on type of guy, and 0% learn-from-books type of guy.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Would this be of interest?

http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/sedge_summer16.htm

I'll pass it along to my sister and see if that would work as a complement to other work/boating.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Charter is a lot more fun. I have a friend who owns a charter boat. For him, he's getting paid to go out to fishing, something he used to pay others to let him do. But he doesn't make enough money off the charter to support his family. He has a less fun full-time job to pay the bills.

Commercial fishing, on the other hand, is really hard work. Have the nephew spend a summer on a commercial boat, and he might decide being a computer programmer isn't so bad.

Any experience would be good for him at this point, since he has zero interest in college or books. I'd be thrilled for him to get out and work at this, since it's all he talks about and he's good at it. But he might hate it if he gets true experience.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Goodness, what a tough life. Does your nephew have to be on a boat? Not exactly the same thing, but I had a dormmate at Cook who did an internship at the Haskins Shellfish Research Station and went on to work for a few years in aquaculture up in Maine, farming oysters. Actually, you always end up in a boat anyhow.

It's all he has passion for, so we'll hopefully find out.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Also does he want to go out on a boat that leaves the dock daily or stays out for extended periods.

I'd like to see him out for a week (or more) at a clip, but that depends upon what's available.

 

[RU4Real]

Actually, he can work his way up, in terms of duration. If he can connect with one of the 6-pack tuna boats, the canyon trips are typically 30 hours. There are a LOT of those boats in Pt. Pleasant and Cape May.

The other thing he needs to do is work on his basic seamanship. Fishing is all good, but he should also try and connect with some sailing teams and do some racing in his free time. Then he can work his way up to being on a delivery crew, where you're doing long transits.

 

[jmg75]

There used to be a lot of money in commercial fishing. A guy I went to Rutgers with used to work on a scallop boat out of Point Pleasant. After graduation he stayed with it full time. He told me the income was far greater than anything else he could have done and he liked being out there. Don't know what the financial deal is these days but there are still quite a few boats going out of Point Pleasant.

 

[RU4Real]

There used to be a lot of money in commercial fishing. A guy I went to Rutgers with used to work on a scallop boat out of Point Pleasant. After graduation he stayed with it full time. He told me the income was far greater than anything else he could have done and he liked being out there. Don't know what the financial deal is these days.

I think the general rule is that there's still good money in commercial fishing, but there are fewer opportunities. With the general decline of fisheries the number of working boats has decreased.

Not to drift too far OT, but I've long maintained that the state of our fisheries is abysmal. Particularly with large pelagic species like tuna and swordfish, populations are a fraction of what they were a few decades ago and the average specimen size gone way down, as well. The record for swordfish is 1182 lbs., caught in 1952 off the coast of Chile. Back then it wasn't uncommon for dedicated fishermen to land swordfish in the 1000 pound range. It's common now for commercial longlining boats to land swordfish under 100 lbs.

Tuna and billfish (all species) are highly migratory species and it's been discovered within the last couple of decades that what was once thought to be a number of separate fisheries - Western Atlantic, Eastern Atlantic / Mediterranean, etc., are in fact one fishery, one biomass. Ergo, the strict catch limits enforced by the NMFA in U.S. territorial waters are of no use, since the European countries, by and large, don't have such limits. Caught specimens are getting smaller - and younger - and are now generally caught before they've had a chance to reproduce.

 

[jonS]

I live near Gloucester , Massachusetts , still one of the largest commercial fishing spots on the east coast. It is a very rough life , many fisherman have died ( the town was made famous by "the perfect storm") , and the town has suffered from chronic drug problems including heroin overdoses. Worse yet fishing spots have been depleted ( e.g. Georges bank) and the feds have made it that much tougher to make a living. Tell your nephew to pursue another career , earn some good money and buy himself fishing boat he can take out during summers...

 

[RutgersRaRa]

I live near Gloucester , Massachusetts , still one of the largest commercial fishing spots on the east coast. It is a very rough life , many fisherman have died ( the town was made famous by "the perfect storm") , and the town has suffered from chronic drug problems including heroin overdoses. Worse yet fishing spots have been depleted ( e.g. Georges bank) and the feds have made it that much tougher to make a living. Tell your nephew to pursue another career , earn some good money and buy himself fishing boat he can take out during summers...

His best bet is to get his own boat, or somehow decide that reading isn't as bad as it seems.

 

[RU4Real]

His best bet is to get his own boat, or somehow decide that reading isn't as bad as it seems.

6-pack tuna boats, with experience and a reasonably good reputation, are a decent business. The work isn't really that hard, as fishing goes. The guests do most of the reel cranking, the mate does the rest of the dirty work and the captain drives the boat, helps out when there's "4 on!" and has to know where the fish are going to be.

Rates for NJ tuna season run upwards of $4000 per run. You can turn 3 a week. So if you book solid, you're pulling down about $350k for the season, and that's just in NJ - a lot of boats will winter in the Carolinas or Florida and fish there, too. Figure the boat's going to run about a million. It's gonna use $1000 worth of fuel for each trip. Boat maintenance, barring catastrophic failures, about $1000 per month. Slippage will be another grand. The mate gets 10 bucks an hour, and lives on tips from the rubes. You can definitely make a living if you can get the boat on good terms (a rich uncle, for example) and if you love the business enough to really get at it.

Two guys I went to high school with have both, in the last few years, retired young (government jobs) and become charter captains. You don't see happier people.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

...Boat maintenance, barring catastrophic failures, about $1000 per month. Slippage will be another grand. The mate gets 10 bucks an hour, and lives on tips from the rubes. You can definitely make a living if you can get the boat on good terms (a rich uncle, for example) and if you love the business enough to really get at it...

 

[JPhoboken]

I live near Gloucester , Massachusetts , still one of the largest commercial fishing spots on the east coast. It is a very rough life , many fisherman have died ( the town was made famous by "the perfect storm") , and the town has suffered from chronic drug problems including heroin overdoses. Worse yet fishing spots have been depleted ( e.g. Georges bank) and the feds have made it that much tougher to make a living. Tell your nephew to pursue another career , earn some good money and buy himself fishing boat he can take out during summers...

My brother in law's family, one of the early settlers of Marthas Vineyard, have been in the fishing industry for a very long time. The fishing industry is dying. They are all getting out. The old timers are getting out, and the youth can't be bothered with an industry that doesn't pay enough, and is so overly regulated, they can't make it. It's really sad to see.

https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2012/07/05/harpooning-swordfish-lost-local-tradition

http://www.mvtimes.com/2015/07/29/scarce-groundfish-permit-will-remain-on-marthas-vineyard/

 

[beaced]

Looking for my nephew, preferably in NJ, for this summer in preparation for a possible career, as his only interest in life is fishing. It's a rough life, I get that, but it's all he cares about so we might as well get him going this summer so he can see what it's like. Anyone with knowledge or a contact for met to find out how it works? TIA.

Have him go to JOBMONKEY.COM . There are summer jobs in ALASKA and elsewhere that supposedly pay very well.

 

[RutgersRaRa]

Have him go to JOBMONKEY.COM . There are summer jobs in ALASKA and elsewhere that supposedly pay very well.

This is exactly what he needs. Which is to say, exactly what his mother wants.