Commercial fisherman vs boat deckhand

The differences between commercial fishermen and boat deckhands can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a commercial fisherman and a boat deckhand. Additionally, a commercial fisherman has an average salary of $51,584, which is higher than the $35,090 average annual salary of a boat deckhand.

The top three skills for a commercial fisherman include safety procedures, vessel maintenance and hydraulic systems. The most important skills for a boat deckhand are boats, safety drills, and unload materials.

Commercial fisherman vs boat deckhand overview

	Commercial Fisherman	Boat Deckhand
Yearly salary	$51,584	$35,090
Hourly rate	$24.80	$16.87
Growth rate	-	1%
Number of jobs	26,488	674
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Commercial fisherman vs boat deckhand salary

Commercial fishermen and boat deckhands have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Commercial Fisherman	Boat Deckhand
Average salary	$51,584	$35,090
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $109,000	Between $21,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	-	Baton Rouge, LA
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	David Evans and Associates
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between commercial fisherman and boat deckhand education

There are a few differences between a commercial fisherman and a boat deckhand in terms of educational background:

	Commercial Fisherman	Boat Deckhand
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Business	Biology
Most common college	-	-

Commercial fisherman vs boat deckhand demographics

Here are the differences between commercial fishermen' and boat deckhands' demographics:

	Commercial Fisherman	Boat Deckhand
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8%	Male, 87.6% Female, 12.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 5.9% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.0%	Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 5.9% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between commercial fisherman and boat deckhand duties and responsibilities

Commercial fisherman example responsibilities.

Use equipment including nets, booms, and hoists.
Fish for shrimp, tuna, and salmon.
Pick fish, run hydraulics, and mend nets.
Boat are equipped with GPS, radar, and depth finder.
Operate various equipment drenches and hoists, hydraulically control, used welding equipment.
Work on a salmon trolling boat and run the fishing gear on the back deck.

Boat deckhand example responsibilities.

Spearhead cross-functional initiative to achieve successful whole shipments of wild Alaskan salmofrozen and gut.
Spearhead cross-functional initiative to achieve successful whole shipments of wild Alaskan salmofrozen and gut.
Involve in client relations, navigation, hunter safety, boat maintenance and general operation of an Alaskan bush camp.

Commercial fisherman vs boat deckhand skills

Common commercial fisherman skills

Safety Procedures, 26%
Vessel Maintenance, 26%
Hydraulic Systems, 7%
Deck Hand, 6%
RAN, 5%
Hoisting, 5%

Common boat deckhand skills

Boats, 28%
Safety Drills, 27%
Unload Materials, 27%
Coast Guard Regulations, 9%
General Maintenance, 6%
Engine Room, 4%