| For years and years college students around the U.S. | | | | who evaluate each fish according to a scale: |
| have flocked to Alaska for summer jobs in the | | | | 1=excellent, 2=good, 3=fair, and 4=mushy. The fish are |
| seafood processing and fishing industries. The first | | | | sorted according to grade and move on to be |
| place that workers new to Alaska look for work is at | | | | weighed. |
| a salmon processing plant. Onshore seafood | | | | Another group of workers weigh, sort and stack the |
| processors are always looking for workers in the | | | | fish on trays. The freezer workers cover the trays in |
| summer months, from June to September. The work | | | | brine to preserve the fish during freezing and transport. |
| is hard but there are perks to being a processing plant | | | | The fish are boxed and moved to the freezer to |
| worker in the Alaska fishing industry. | | | | await shipment. |
| Onshore processing plants are located in coastal | | | | Work at an onshore processor also includes outside |
| towns and villages such as Ketchikan, Homer, | | | | work. Someone has to be there to collect the fish |
| Petersburg, Cordova, Naknek, and Valdez. Wherever | | | | when the boats unload them. The dock crew unloads |
| salmon are harvested, there will need to be a place to | | | | the fish from holding tanks or crates in the case of |
| process them. Many of these processing plants are in | | | | tender boats. Boats are then loaded up with ice and |
| a remote area, meaning there are no shopping malls or | | | | bait among other supplies before they set back out for |
| other big-city amenities. The plus for cash hungry | | | | another run. |
| college students is that scenery is second to none and | | | | Processors are often housed by the company if they |
| there are few places to spend hard-earned summer | | | | are located in remote areas. Rooms are furnished with |
| money. | | | | bunk beds and are shared by up to four people. |
| During the summer salmon are harvested in huge | | | | Bathrooms may be shared by each group of people |
| numbers thanks to Alaska's supererior fisheries | | | | or a couple of groups. Laundry service is provided by |
| management programs. Most onshore processors are | | | | some processors. You put your clothing outside the |
| sorting and processing different species of salmon: | | | | door and it is returned to you clean. Room and board |
| king, sockeye, coho, chum, and pink. Workers can be | | | | is either free or costs in the neighborhood of $5 to $7 |
| on their feet as many as twelve hours or more a day | | | | per day, sometimes reimbursed to those employees |
| and up to their eyeballs in fish. | | | | who complete the entire fishing season. |
| The day starts early. Workers get their assignment. | | | | Most onshore salmon processors in cities offer |
| They can occupy various stations along the so called | | | | subsidized housing for their employees. Workers can |
| "slime line," packing fish, in the freezer, or in the egg | | | | pay as much as $15 a day for a dorm room or up to |
| house. First-time workers are shown the ropes and | | | | $8 for a tent platform. If a tent is not your speed, you |
| then put to work. | | | | may opt to pay more for a dorm-style room. You will |
| It is expected that processors will work hard at their | | | | more than likely still be sharing with someone but it is a |
| job. Those that work hard can be moved from the | | | | step up from a tent. |
| slime line to other positions that pay more money and | | | | Employers also provide a common area for workers |
| that may be slightly less monotonous. The following | | | | to socialize. With steady work there is not much time |
| summer they could move up to a higher position such | | | | for that, so workers spend time in their rooms reading |
| as management. | | | | or taking a nap. Televisions and even wireless Internet |
| Workers are usually paid between $7.15 and $8 an | | | | are provided in common areas for entertainment. |
| hour to start but earn nearly $11 for overtime hours. | | | | So the work certainly doesn't sound glamorous but |
| This doesn't seem like a lot but the overtime can | | | | there are reasons why the industry has been such a |
| quickly add up. The slime line is where they usually | | | | big draw for years and years. College-aged people |
| begin their journey into the fishing world. | | | | love the scenery, adventure, chance to meet people |
| Slimers occupy many positions. Some may be belly | | | | from around the country, and earnings potential. In |
| splitters. It is as the name implies. The fish are sliced | | | | years where the fishing is good it means substantial |
| open after they are sorted. A machine decapitates | | | | overtime and more earnings in two months than one |
| them and sends them on their way. Gut pullers take | | | | can make back home in the lower-48. |
| out the entrails and eggs from the fish. The eggs are | | | | Working in Alaska's fishing industry is not for everyone, |
| sent to the egg house for further processing. | | | | but anyone seeking out a unique job experience should |
| After all the guts are removed, the fish are washed | | | | consider Alaska fishing jobs. |
| down completely. The slime line ends with the workers | | | | |