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