Instead, All American Marine has been building low wake, environmentally friendly passenger ferries. It’s been more than eight years since All American Marine made a commercial fishing vessel. The good news is that the company is now taking orders for its new 32-foot Bristol Bay Sternpicker.

The company believes that the market for commercial fishing boats is starting to come back up. Fishing boats out on the water today are ready to be replaced, and in many cases it’s becoming prohibitively expensive to buy boat insurance for those older boats because of the risks involved. Add to that the bounce back that’s happening in the commercial fishing industry, as well as lower prices for aluminum and the company is pretty confident that the new boats will be well-received.

This new commercial fishing boat may owe some design themes to the older versions, but the new one should prove to exceed the expectations of those that buy it. The capacity of the vessel has been improved, and it can now hold 10 tons of fish. Add to that a refrigerated seawater system and you’ve got a knock-out product.

All American Marine will continue to produce its passenger ferries, as well. In march, it launched the Kitsap Transit. The Kitsap Transit is an ultra-low-wake passenger ferry. The boat will undergo a six-month study in 2011 to look at its environmental impact, which is expected to be relatively low.

The commercial fishing vessels will help the company through the fall, which is very often a slow period for boat manufacturers.

If you’re interested in your own commercial fishing boat, give All American Marine a look.

Photo via smaedli

Imagine a job where you face danger every day. Imagine that in your line of work, you may very well be lost at sea during a storm; you might seriously injury yourself with sharp equipment or a tangled line; you might not go home for months or see land for days on end. On top of it all, your work is seasonal and the median income in your field is less than $30,000 per year. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, commercial fishing is conducted under some of the most hazardous conditions possible, with the added complication that injuries take place far from medical treatment facilities.

High winds, icy weather, malfunctioning gear, slippery decks, or the failure of communication equipment can all contribute to life-threatening conditions. The annual fatality rate for commercial fishing workers is 28 times greater than it is for the average U.S. worker. From 1994 to 2004, over 100 fishing boats were lost at sea; other fatalities resulted from workers falling overboard, deck injuries, fires, and explosions.

In addition to the various dangers of the job, the work is strenuous and dirty and can require workers to be away from their families for months at a time, all the while living in cramped quarters with limited access to shower facilities, televisions, or other amenities of modern life. On large fishing boats, the catch is often processed aboard the vessel as well, leading to additional risk of accidents.

So why pursue such a dangerous job, especially when new regulations on fishing quotas and reduced fish populations make it tougher than ever? On the plus side, owner-operators of fishing vessels are able to be relatively independent, and the seasonal nature of the work may allow some workers to pursue additional employment. Furthermore, training happens on the job, so even inexperienced workers are eligible for the job as long as they have the necessary physical stamina.

Safety regulations have been under-emphasized in the commercial fishing industry, although new technology is available to reduce the possibility of injury or death, such as improved personal flotation devices, hatch monitoring systems, and emergency stop switches for winches. There is also an increased emphasis on data gathering and research into injury causes. In the future, commercial fishing may become slightly less dangerous—but in the end, Mother Nature is still a force to be reckoned with.