Some crew members will go out for 2-3 trips at a time, and others will fish the whole season, staying onboard for 4-5 months at a time, or even longer. For new hires, we recommend planning on 2-3 trips, for a total of about 60 days.
The BWS HR team will arrange all travel from your hometown to Dutch Harbor, including hotels as needed. On your first rotation with the company, BWS pays for 100% of your airfare both ways, as long as you don’t quit on board. For future rotations, the cost of airfare will be deducted from your settlement at trip end. Hotels are always 100% paid by BWS and include meal vouchers free of cost. Learn more here: https://bristolwaveseafoods.com/traveling-to-and-from-dutch-harbor-alaska/
The crew works 16 hours a day, 7 days a week while fishing. There is a shift change every 8 hours, and the crew is divided into 3 overlapping shifts.
Once you are through the screening process and receive a conditional offer, we will add your name to the “ready list.” Then, when a position becomes available, our HR team will reach out to see if you are ready to work. Sometimes we know weeks in advance, and sometimes a position comes up at the last minute. If you are not available when we call, you can keep your spot on the list, and we’ll call you next time. Learn more here: https://bristolwaveseafoods.com/hiring-process/
Crew members purchase their own raingear, gloves, and XtraTuff boots. Before the boat departs you will be able to charge gear to the company account at the ship supply store. The gear charges will be deducted from your settlement at the end of the trip – you do not need to pay for anything up front. You’ll need to bring comfortable clothing, personal hygiene supplies, etc. Learn more here: https://bristolwaveseafoods.com/fishermans-packing-list/
BWS primarily produces frozen at sea Pacific Cod. Some vessels also target Sablefish (also known as Black Cod) and Greenland Turbot.
Yes! But keep in mind if you are waiting for an open position on just one boat, it can take much longer for a spot to become available. Getting a position is much faster if you are open working on any vessel.
2 of our boats have a crew size of 16-17 people. 4 of our boats have a crew size of 22 people. Our largest boat has a crew size of 24. Learn more about our fleet here: https://bristolwaveseafoods.com/fleet/
“A” season opens at the beginning of January and runs through the start of June. “B” Season opens in June and can run as late as November or even December. Most years, depending on quota limits, BWS fishes year-round.
Our crew live and work in shared spaces. State rooms sleep multiple crew members, with bunk beds and cubbies/lockers for personal items, and crew members share meals in the galley. Each vessel has a dedicated cook. All BWS vessels have Star Link internet, with an initial allocation of data provided for free, and additional data available for purchase.
Yes! This is physically and mentally challenging career, but can be very rewarding and lucrative for individuals up to the challenge. Learn more here: https://bristolwaveseafoods.com/what-it-takes-to-work-in-the-bering-sea/
Commercial fishing is extremely challenging and will not be the right choice for everyone. The best thing to do if finish the trip and rotate home. The boat will not return to port until the freezer hold is full, so quitting mid-trip will not get you home faster, and you’ll only be paid for the days you worked.
