| No it isn't Bill Gates. It isn't the diamond merchants of | | | | for no apparent reason. The worst slump in fishing |
| South Africa or the oil barons of Saudi Arabia either. | | | | history, it forced fishermen to look into alternative |
| The world's highest paid job is crab fishing in Alaska. | | | | fishing sources. Thus Alaskan commercial fishing |
| The frigid waters off the Alaskan shoreline house a | | | | branched out either to salmon and halibut or bairdi |
| veritable fishing goldmine and crab fishing in Alaska | | | | and opilio, two types of tanner crabs. |
| has been aptly dubbed the last great gold rushes on | | | | Since then the Alaskan crab fishing trade has looked |
| earth. | | | | up a little with the year 2001 bringing in 23.2-million |
| Crab fishing is the most significant of the Alaskan | | | | pounds of fishing stock worth US$36-million. But crab |
| commercial shellfish industries. The waters of Alaska, | | | | fishing in Alaska still continues to command the |
| notably the Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, Dutch Harbor and | | | | highest pay packet in the world. |
| the Kodiak and Aleutian Islands are home to rich | | | | But this is only the rosy side to the job. Crab fishing |
| bounties of crabs: tanner, Dungeness and the famed | | | | in Alaska is one of the most perilous of all jobs in the |
| Alaskan King crab. | | | | world. To fish for crabs in the glacial waters of the |
| The different varieties of the Alaskan crabs possess | | | | Arctic Ocean in sub-zero temperatures, with pounding |
| immense commercial value and the Alaskan King crab | | | | waves thrashing on the deck and tossing the fishing |
| in particular is a prized dish in the culinary world, | | | | boat treacherously and icy winds howling |
| valued as highly as caviar or vintage French wine. US | | | | continuously, needs a stout heart and an able body. |
| and Japanese restaurants are the primary importers | | | | Furthermore, your work will involve negotiating the |
| of Alaskan King crab in the world. | | | | enormous crab pots and coils of line along the |
| An idea of the valuation of crab fishing in Alaska can | | | | slippery deck. |
| be garnered from the fact that a seasoned | | | | Each and every muscle and sinew of the body is |
| fisherman can hope to rope in US$50000 worth of | | | | stretched to the hilt and exhaustion to the point of |
| catch in an eight-week period. | | | | breakdown is common. Crippled limbs, crushed fingers |
| The commercial crab fishing industry in Alaska had its | | | | and ribs, broken legs are the staple fare in the |
| beginning way back in 1950. The returns were | | | | grueling 20-21 hour daily schedules, while men toppling |
| promising from the very start and the region quickly | | | | overboard are not uncommon incidents either. In |
| attracted hundreds of US fishing boats. The 1980s | | | | fact, every year there are some casualties in these |
| were the heydays of crab fishing in Alaska. During | | | | fishing trips. |
| this period of king crab boom, the fishing boat | | | | However, in spite of all the hardships, there is no |
| captains regularly earned US$150000 in a season and | | | | dearth of men seeking employment in this fishing |
| the crab fishing boats boasted of saunas, music | | | | trade. Crab fishing in Alaska remains a haloed job to |
| systems and microwaves. | | | | land. |
| But by 1983, the Alaskan King crab industry crashed | | | | |