With increasing numbers of fishermen losing their jobs due to fishing restrictions, a new survey has been conducted to help them find new employment.

The Ballard based, Deep Sea Fishermen's Union of the Pacific (DSFU), has surveyed crab fishermen to assess their needs in job retraining, this is in response to federal regulatory rationalization and buyback programs created to promote fish conservation in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Dave Soma, executive director of the Deep Sea Fisherman's Union said the federal government has been trying to figure out ways to manage fish resources. The drawback is decreasing fleet sizes and reducing the number of jobs for skippers and crewmembers because the catch limits are strictly set.

At one point the federal government allowed only a very short period for fishing certain species. Soma said this was called "racing for the fish," where too many boats converge on an area in a mad dash for the fish.

This resulted in what Soma described as 400 boats fishing for a supply that only 100 boats can catch. This particular fishing regulation ended in 1995 for Halibut and Sablefish (black cod) fishermen and this past January for crab fisherman.

Now crab, halibut and sablefish fishing are only allowed to fish part of the year. The restrictions mean there is often more commercial fishermen and boats than a fishing season can accommodate and as a result, the federal government buyback programs are taking boats out of service.

"They are taking boats off the water to relieve the capacity to fish," said Soma.

Over fishing can hurt future fish runs so they are being controlled with tight guidelines. Fishing quotas are based on environmentally based science as part of a fish conservation effort.

Boats that are still allowed to fish are chosen by an IFQ, or individual fishing quota.

"The rating is a distribution of the total allowable catch based on catch history in qualifying years," said Soma.

Fishermen who caught the most fish during the qualifying years received the highest indindual quata, and can catch more fish.

"Crab, halibut and sablefish are managed to not be fished out in the future," said Soma. This way they can be enjoyed by future generations.

For fishermen who are allowed to continue their profession, the new system has worked.

"The market is happy, the fishermen are making money, it is environmentally sensitive and sustainable," said Soma.

But others are now unemployed.

The union represents fishermen who own 275 crab vessels. The federal government has bought out twenty-five of the boats.

"So there are 125 guys out of work," said Soma. Each boat has an average crew of five people.

One boat captain told Soma only 75 boats are needed to catch the available crab in Alaska. That means up to 675 crab fishermen could lose their jobs.

The union issued a statement explaining that crab boat owners received considerable compensation, as did a limited number of crew.

Other skippers and crewmembers lost their jobs and did not get any help.

Crew reductions are also anticipated when ground fish industries in Alaska are expected to be rationalized as well.

Job retraining will be offered to those losing fishing jobs. Anyone who wants to stay in the maritime industry could get jobs on tugboats, barges and container ships.

Soma is pleased with the cooperation he has received from the state and federal government.

In addition to the Washington State Labor Council, the retraining initiative is supported by the State of Washington Employment Security, the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County and the King County Rapid Response Team.

The organizations are exploring ways to get other groups involved in Washington and Alaska. The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development already has a program for displaced fishermen.

The union sent out 289 surveys by mail and posted it on their website. They had a 20 percent return. A ten percent return is considered good on a survey.

"We are grateful to those who filled out the questionnaires," said Soma. "We got a good return, it was much better than anticipated."

"The survey is critical to our efforts to identify potential need, areas of interest and to acquire sufficient resources to support displaced fishermen," said Lori Province, Workforce Investment Act Labor Liaison with the Washington State Labor Council.

Sixty-six people filled out the survey, 47 percent were from Washington, 32 percent from Alaska, 9 percent from Oregon, 5 percent from Idaho and 1.4 percent from California, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan and Utah.

One third of the survey respondents were crab fishermen on ships calling Ballard home. Others working out of Ballard are in the halibut and sablefish business.

The purpose of the survey is to gather information so the union can approach the state and the federal government to get assistance for displaced crewmembers.

Seventy-three percent of the respondents have spent more than 20 years in the fishing industry.

The survey revealed that 92 percent of those who responded are their family's primary wage earners. And seventy percent earn over $50,000 from their fishing jobs.

Crab fishermen working in the Bering Sea face dangerous seas, rain and ice. It's one of the most dangerous occupations.

"This is their life," said Soma. "The water is their life. They love it. The lifestyle suits them."

Most want to find jobs in the same occupation without returning to school or going through retraining. Thirty-nine percent say they need a job right away

The critical information provided by the survey will help the fishermans union ask congress for additional funding for retraining assistance.

The union and the King County Labor Council are already in contact with Sen. Patty Murray's office to find additional resources and money.

"We have some hard work to do, but I believe that the outcome will provide well-earned assistance to our hard working men and women, who are left behind by the federal buyback and rationalization programs in our nation's major fisheries," said Soma.