Any Commercial Fishermen on here imported to the Merchant Marine?

[skipjackmac]

Well MaineCapt I guess I fit into this nich. I have been in the Gulf for only a few months, however I did spend over 30 years in the North Atlantic. My family was, and I stress was a fishing family. The tradition stops here. Both my mother and father came from fishing families from Gloucester Mass. I was the only son and my sons both have gone in other directions from fishing. I have been what I like to tell people "retired" from it for a little over a year. I miss the "hunt" and the commradery of the guys I spent most of my adult life with on the water. I don't miss the BS form the buyers or the government. I also don't miss the stress of paying the bills for fuel and repairs or making enough so the crew can make a good living. My job in the gulf is only the second job I have ever had and the only one that I ever got a paycheck regularly. So far I like it alot. There is always something going on and the main thing I'm on the water.

[MaineCapt]

Almost the same could be said of me, Skipmac. My brother still fishes and so do most of my family. My son's have opted not to go fishing and I am glad that they have. We all work down here for the same company. Both chose to go the engine room route. To be honest we never encouraged them to go fishing. We could see many years ago that they couldn't start out like most of us had. Unless of course they had a ton of money just to buy access. When we sold the business, the permit that I sold went for more than twice what my boat sold for. My boat was built in 1978 and you know that all you had to do then was do the paperwork required to get a permit and that was it.
The last trip I made was in August of 07, after that I started working toward getting my license and getting a job. Getting a job down here was something in itself. I feel fortunate to have the job that I have and I like the business and the security. It's nice to have insurance that I don't have to pay 700 bucks a month for.

[james.hatch]

"So ya wannna be a Scalloper, Eh?" Hard work.......but good money. Well half of that was always true. I first went to sea aboard a Gulf Shrimper during summer break from HS (1978). My buddy and I earned pocket money crabbing from a big skiff after school. When I graduated I was on the road 3 days later up to the scalloping grounds and spent the next several years working my way up the east coast and down the west. Newport News up to New Bedford then Kodiak down to Newport. I ended up as the master of a trawler rigged for scalloping working out of Newport Oregon. After a couple of years my feet grew itchy again and I joined the Navy. After my enlistment ended I worked aboard a Mid-water trawler out of Dutch and then a Yellow Fin tuna longliner in the GOM before re-upping. Just retired from the NAVY after 23 years and just about to start my Merchant Marine Career. Cant help but remember the crazy Maineiacs I have had the privilege to know. "One Eyed" Mickie Gramlich (stabbed himself in the eye with a scallop knife. Larry Sachsman, God Rest His Soul (lost crossing the bar on the Oregon Coast) what a great guy. I wouldnt trade my fishing experiences for all of Davie Jones treasure. Well there ya go, hard work but good money........at least half true.

[alaska2005]

Grew up fishing prior to attending maritime academy from GOA to Bering Sea fishing cod, crab, salmon and halibut. Graduated top of my class, realized most merchant mariners full of bs, bunch of pre-madonnas and generally incompetent. Used license to sail mate and eventually captain aboard catcher processors and catcher boats for crab and cod. Enjoy the life I've made, and staying away from most of the people I encountered during my four years of schooling. I guess I did the opposite of most of you, but I seem to at least enjoy my job, unlike most of my friends sailing deep water, tugs, ferries, etc.

[JP]

I also grew up fishing. I used to go out bandit fishing out of FL with my father. When I got old enough I worked on the charter and party boats. I got tired of that and went to school at a 2 year program to get my AB. Then started working in the oil field. Went deep sea for a while later. Now I am alternating between oilfield and fishing. I enjoy the fishing lifestyle a hell of a lot more but it barely pays the bills. The deep sea and oil field work is much more lucrative.
JP

[MaineCapt]

I also grew up fishing. I used to go out bandit fishing out of FL with my father. When I got old enough I worked on the charter and party boats. I got tired of that and went to school at a 2 year program to get my AB. Then started working in the oil field. Went deep sea for a while later. Now I am alternating between oilfield and fishing. I enjoy the fishing lifestyle a hell of a lot more but it barely pays the bills. The deep sea and oil field work is much more lucrative.
JP

And that's the bottom line. At least you get a chance to go fishing every now and then.

[LOSTinFOURCHON]

8years working draggers and skimmer boats made the switch to merchant shipping and my back and bank account couldnt be happier. And with new regulations every year strangling commercial guys its near impossible to make a good living. I cant say i have seen fishing for 30years but even in my years I have seen dramtic differences in the industry and Its only getting worse. 50 commercial fisherman can go out of business as long as 1 guy on a 20' center console can catch a fish.

[fairtry]

yeah im halfway through my ab 100 ton masters and leaving the commercial fishing industry not because i want to, because of all the current regulations and such there putting us right out of business been doin it since "85" love being on the water. im from maine also. guess its time to start all over again. this is my first post i'm new to all this.

[captblighe]

i spent the better part of 25 years on the Bearing Sea, North and South Atlantic and GOM Made real good money Scalloping and Dragging in New England, but the govt. is taking over and like anything else they touch well you know. It's tough getting anything good as a MM but it should break wide open soon.

[seadog!]

Is it F/V Fairtry?

I remember that boat, out of Portland wasn't she?

I made the jump 10 years ago, still miss the hell out of fishin'.

[fairtry]

Seadog the fairtry was out of portland. i liked the boat and name,bout the only one i didn't sail on out of portland. Just came back from shrimping in portland only 2 big groundfish boats there tied up.20 years ago you had a hard time finding a berth.

[seadog!]

I fished with the Black n' White fleet, many years in and out of Portland.

Back when Becky's was a fishermans diner instead of a yuppie hangout.

You remember Joe and Kita V.?
They kind of adopted us 'cuz we were out-of-towners (and we gave 'em haddock).
They were the epitome of "OLD SCHOOL". Real men by god.

Kita told me after 3 years in the service overseas during WWII, he went fishing his first day home. At 70+ years old he'd make the youngsters cry for a break! Then he'd come get a cup of "coffee" and make 'em cry some more.

Watchin' Joe fillet fish was like watching living art... smooth, long strokes, never hurried but Jesus he was fast.

Good memories.

[fairtry]

seadog i remember joe and kita. i fished on the TM III for a couple of trips. is that the black and white fleet you mentioned? yeah, those were the good ol' days 2 -3 days straight on deck ripping and gutting.

[seadog!]

No, we were out of towners.

Charlotte G.
Mr Bill
Fair Lady/Miss Judith
Sundance

Fished out of Portland in the winter.

I thought all the TM's were red.

[seadog!]

And don't forget the 2-3 days of lacing and mending too.
We were a double reel boat and always fished the hard bottom.
Lots and lots of mending.
1 net in the water and 1 stretched out on deck.

[guavakai]

Hey guys, I too have shared the love for fishing. Having fished up and down the northeast dragging scalloping and gillnetting, before moving to Hawaii and buying a longliner. Now have sold everything and looking for work. It's a whole different world sending resumes. Now I find myself back in Montauk dragging or "starving" trying to communicate with companies over the phone and computer. No luck yet, I know it's a tough market but I thought I would find something. Any advise for a 1600 master/oceans willing to to do ANYTHING just get me off this dragger. Never thought I'd say that!!!!

[skipjackmac]

Sorry for the late reply I just found this post. I started in the oil patch 16 months ago after spending 32 years Commercial Fishing the north Atlantic. I tell all my friends at home its just like fishing. You spend every day your here on the boat except you don't have all the stress. You only have to work 1/2 a day (12) hours and as an extra bonus you get paid every 2 weeks with out catching anything .First time I did that in over 30 years.
I came down here with a 100ton master 200/500 mate and last Monday I passed the last of my 1600 master tests. My new credentials will be here in LA. tomorrow.The best advice I could give you is get on a plane and come on down and beat on doors and meet face to face. I works ,I did for me and others on this site.There is a market for 1600 ton masters but you have to look for it.

[10talents]

I came down here with a 100ton master 200/500 mate and last Monday I passed the last of my 1600 master tests. My new credentials will be here in LA. tomorrow.The best advice I could give you is get on a plane and come on down and beat on doors and meet face to face. I works ,I did for me and others on this site.There is a market for 1600 ton masters but you have to look for it.

Congratulations, not an easy task.

[capitan1962]

I converted also. Used to bandit fish in the winter and summer then longline for swordfish and tuna in the spring and fall. I miss the freedom a lot. The money is nice to be guaranteed but fishing you never have anybody breathing down your neck and if I wanted to go on deck with my flip flops on there wasn't a damn camera to worry about. It used to be fun working the oil patch but those days are gone too.

[roversea]

20 years in Alaska and Washington Coast, started on trollers fishing Kings and Silvers, worked for Western Pioneer back when they still operated the largest wood vessel in service, long shoring, then crane driver then deckhand on the old Dolphin for Pio. 3 seasons deckie on S.E. Alaska purse-seiners, then on to Draggers in the Bering Sea, couple hitches on the SS Ocean Phoenix, Bos'n, Mate on the American #1, cutting fish 16 hours a day, more work as Mate for Cold Sea, mothers ship taking cod-ends from catcher boats, Mate on Omnisea, taking crab behind St. Paul Island. Mate on first U.S. Vessel to make test drags in Russia after the wall fell.