Jake Anderson’s measures to keep his vessel in a such particular fashion may seem confusing to some. But with the constant danger present on the Alaskan waters, it pays to be overly cautious.
Before “Deadliest Catch” aired in 2005, there’s a good chance that your average Joe wouldn’t consider crab fishing all that dangerous a profession. However, this couldn’t be any further from the truth. While the commercial fishing industry in general comes with its fair share of hazards, Alaskan crab fishing sees with it a whole new set of challenges. Due to the short length of the crab season, the ships that go after the creepy crustaceans must endure days of harsh conditions off the coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands.
The danger present from both the rough seas and the heavy machinery commonly kept on board were responsible for over 400 fatalities between 1991 and 1996. Top it off with the lack of sleep or good diet that most crab fishers experience and it becomes easy to see why the profession is ranked alongside logging and piloting as one of the most dangerous in the world.
In more recent years, government regulations have helped cut down on the fatality rate significantly. Nevertheless, it is up to a good sea captain to ensure the safety of their crew, even if it means going a little extreme.
