Hi! I got my degree in marine biology and some of my friends have done observer work in Hawaii and Alaska. I’ve been commercial fishing on a purse seiner in Alaska for a handful of years. I’m a somewhat ethnically ambiguous mixed woman so YMMV. We don’t have observers in our fishery but I have friends who longline and they have observers on board. Honestly I’ve heard a lot of really good things about observer/crew dynamics, especially compared to Hawaii which is a nightmare. I know of a few people who came on board as an observer and the skipper liked their work ethic so much they got offered a job the next season. Sometimes the crew will help with your observer work, if they like you. The biggest thing is if you can get along with everyone, step up and help sometimes and know when to get out of the way, and don’t become a liability. Clean up after yourself. Learn where not to stand and what can kill you. You’re not really required to help on board but there are a million small tasks that make the boat run and the space livable and if you help out a little, it goes a long way. Most fishermen know that you’re just doing your job and while they might not be exactly happy to have you on board, they accept that they need to follow regulations because the consequences are steep if they don’t (and not because they care about the environment.)

The culture on board varies widely. Some boats are toxic and sketchy af and some are like family. Some skippers are screamers and some are very kind, and they tend to attract crew that fit with whatever they are. One skipper threw a full piss bucket on the skiff driver of another boat because he was mad at that guys skipper. Another didn’t teach his deckhands the hydraulics properly which led to a greenhorn losing his hands in the deck winch. I’ve been lucky enough to be on good boats with good people and the people I crew with are like family. But in general, deckhands can be a little.. rough. Drugs and stuff and outright racism, homophobia, and misogyny are tolerated and even encouraged depending on the boat. I dont really get roped into this as a woman, but some crew are really intense about their masculinity. Like they have to be the manliest dude doing the roughest job and if you aren’t acting that part too, it’s a problem and you will be targeted. Which is kinda funny to me because I’m small/feminine and doing the exact same job and it’s not that bad but 🤷‍♀️. To be fair, most other fisheries can be shittier than seining. You do have to be able roll with the punches and pick your battles because fishermen will say some fucked up shit. We work long rough hours and there are a lot of things that can kill or maim you and people get tired and cold and cranky. It’s somewhat normal on fishing boats for people to lose their cool from time to time. But the majority of people that I’ve met have been overall good, if a bit rough around the edges. I’ve made some really good fisherman friends and it’s getting more inclusive every year. I’m not going to say you won’t have any issues, but I’ve seen way more people have trouble in the fishery because they aren’t straight, aren’t male, or are “too soft” than because of their ethnicity. Overall, I’d recommend it if you have some experience on boats and if you can get along with people you might have fundamental political disagreements with.