Fishing Boat Cabin

What is a Fishing Boat Cabin?

Duties

The duties of a fishing boat captain involves the following:

• Undertake regular drills, training plans, safety meetings of crew members and maintaining detailed records of such as per the company policy.
• Oversee the accurate and concise reporting of any equipment or machine failure, accidents, defects or damages that arise.
• Hold the crew accountable for complying with all maritime law, company regulations and procedures, and also their own performance levels.
• Assess and maintain an updated knowledge of best practices and new technologies to improve existing operations, creating recommendations accordingly.
• Give specific orders to crew in case of emergency situations, e.g. launching a raft, wearing an immersion suit or providing assistance in case of fire or flood.

Day In The Life

As a fishing boat captain, you will be responsible for supervising and coordinating all the activities on a fishing boat. This can include developing the plan for every fishing trip by evaluating where best to fish and what type of fish to catch, the duration of said trip, and which processing plants to sell the fish at. The captain is responsible for determining whether a vessel is in top shape for sea travel, coordinating the supplies required, acquiring the necessary permits, and recruiting the crew to work on the ship.

In this type of position, you will be utilizing your familiarity with the latest navigation and sonar technology, such as GPS systems, to safely chart a course for navigating the ship to its intended location without facing any obstacles.  You might be using such technology to scan underwater for fish and other marine wildlife as needed. Captains are also responsible for maintaining day to day records on-board the ship by maintaining what is known as a ship’s log. When you return to shore with the catch, it is also part of the job to find reliable buyers at the optimal price, usually at various fish processing plants and with wholesalers. With modern technology, some captains are looking to sell their products directly via the internet to customers worldwide.

Work Schedule

Fishing is conducted in all types of inclement weather from storms, fogs, heavy wind, etc., which makes it quite a difficult and dangerous undertaking. Boats and ships might have to be brought back to shore in the case of extreme storms and winds. Further, at fish processing plants, the fishing boat captain must ensure that the vessel does not run into other ships. You should be comfortable working in harsh conditions for extended time periods, as you will spend weeks or months away from home on the sea. Fishing is a tiresome job, but technology has somewhat made it easier such that newer vessels have facilities like TVs, showers and other modern amenities. However, you will still be living in small quarters and must get used to the isolated existence away from family.

Growth Of The Job

There are some distinct advantages to working in this field for future employment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has predicted that boat captains would see a rise in employment by 10%, which is actually faster than the national average, between 2014 and 2024.

Typical Employers

Employers include a majority of private corporations with vessels that require oversight, and are used for hauling freight, fishing, processing, etc.