Trawlers have been used in the Alaskan fishing industry for decades, and have long been a part of modern commercial fishing worldwide. These boats have been saltwater fishing in the waters off Alaska for generations and provide an enormous amount of food. They are a critical component of Alaska's overall economic health.
Trawlers cast out large nets on both sides of the boat that are used to scoop up absolutely everything of a certain size in their wake. The catch is then hauled up to the boat, where crew members work to sort the catch, store the fish, clean the nets, then cast them out again.
Workers on an Alaskan fishing trawler can expect 12- to 16-hour workdays, often with closed-in quarters. The trawlers often go out to sea for weeks at a time, and while the pay is good, this is a dangerous job that is extremely hard on individual workers.
Workers on an Alaskan fishing trawler will be expected to buy their own specialized gear. Wet weather gear can cost up to $100 a set, rubber boots run $40 to $70 a pair or more, and that's not getting into the costs of gloves, wrist covers, sleeping bags and commercial fishing licenses. Just the specialized gear alone can easily run $400 or more just for the basics.
There remains controversy with environmentalists who do not like fishing trawlers who practice "bottom trawling." A major complaint with this is the killing of Aleutian corals and the destruction of ocean bottom habitat. As of 2010 there is no solid movement toward outlawing Alaskan fishing trawlers, although the arguing between commercial and environmental interests continues.
