Keane Mackey, a deckhand on a commercial fishing boat, that I met this week, while
he was visiting relatives in Hopkins County.

 

 

"Sorry, Charlie!"

 

Local Deckhand Shares Fishing Adventures
in Pacific Ocean

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

I don't know about you, but I'm "hooked" on great seafood!

 

"Sorry, Charlie!" To be quite honest, aside from having a huge affinity for seafood, almost any way you prepare it and going on a crabbing expedition, last summer, when I was on the East Coast, "Charlie" the comical fish that advertised for Sunkist Tuna was about the extent of my knowledge about the commercial fishing industry, and you'll remember that he was the fish in the commercial that was always trying to get caught, so he could be a "top quality" Starkist tuna.

 

 

Well, you can see why when I had a chance meeting with a young man, this week, that indicated that he was involved in the commercial fishing industry, I quickly "took the bait" and was "hooked" on learning all I could about the profession. It was on Monday, that by chance, I met Keane Mackey, a twenty year old young man, here visiting family in Sulphur Springs, and getting ready to return to San Francisco, where he is a deckhand on a commercial fishing boat. Mackey has worked for the past two and one-half years in the industry and began telling me about his adventures of going out on the Pacific Ocean and fishing for Black Cod, Salmon, and Crabs.

 

These are the waters in the Pacific, where Keane and his fellow
fishermen fish for Black Cod.

 

Keane Mackey shown with one of the fish that he's
caught on a Pacific adventure.

 

 

"We go out for an overnight voyage, when we're fishing for Black Cod, and 'anchor up' about 50 miles out into the ocean, where the water is 2-3 miles deep," began Mackey. "And we have 9 traps on a 46 foot boat, that we bait with squid and lower to the bottom of the ocean. The traps are cylindrical in shape and you expect to trap 20 or more fish in each trap. Of course, it's an excellent catch when you find that you've collected 30-35 fish of legal size in a trap!"

"You can imagine the amount of rope that it takes to lower nine traps down to the ocean floor, and each rope is encased in a plastic barrel, and it's mine and one other deckhand's job to make certain that rope flows smoothly as it is lowered into the ocean, and then to bring it back into the barrel without any knots, when we're bringing the traps back up," relates Mackey. "Then, once the loaded traps are brought to the water surface, we bring them on board the boat and empty them of their contents and put the fish on ice!"

 

 

 

"In fishing for Black Cod, you have a permit that allows you to harvest 900 pounds of fish, every two weeks, all year long," states Mackey. "You dress the fish, weigh them, and make certain that you don't go over in weight, then head back to the warf, where an inspector, checks your fish, and then you take them to a fish market, where they are sold. The market for fresh Black Cod is at $3.25 per pound on today's market!"

 

Fishing boat deckhand, Keane Mackey, shows the fishing knife that he uses in
case of emergencies to cut a rope or to dress the fish that they catch on an excursion
into the Pacific Ocean.

 

"I phoned my captain today and he plans to leave out on October 25th, and I have to be ready to go," explained Mackey. "We'll be fishing for Black Cod, on this trip!"

"It's 10 to 12 hours of solid work, as you pull in the traps and make certain that the ropes are fed into the barrels," stated Mackey. "It's rough on your shoulders and back, and then you have to stand for hours as the sea moves beneath you and you must be able to move with the waves and keep your balance. But, it's really fun, out on the ship!"

"I guess you would say that I have 'sea legs,' because I've never gotten sick on board a ship!" inserted Keane. "I enjoy the work and being out on the ocean!"

During the fishing season, Keane indicated that he lives on the boat, when they are out in the ocean, and then most people have some place to stay within 20-30 minutes of the warf, so that they are ready to leave, on short notice. You want to be close to your work, so that you can get there in a hurry, if the captain calls, explained Keane.

Keane also fishes for Salmon and Crab, during the year. "The Salmon is one of my favorite fishes to fish for," allowed Keane. "They prefer 52 to 55 degree water and usually are within 150 feet of the surface. You look for an area that is full of 'krill blooms' that color the water an almost, dark brown, and that is the habitat that you'll find the salmon in. However, we haven't had good salmon seasons, for the past two or three years, so we've fished more for crab and the Black Cod.

 

A dressed salmon ready to "ice down" and deliver to market.

 

Keane indicated that the King Salmon is the one that is fished in the Pacific and occasionally, you'll catch a Chinook Salmon. They must be at least 26 inches long, to be legal and will weigh about 8 pounds when they are called a "shortie." But, they will weigh up to 50 pounds or more, with a "good" catch being in the 10-20 pound range, in the waters off the California Coast.

 

 

 

Mackey also indicated an affinity for fishing for crabs. The Dungess Crab is native to the waters of the Pacific and they are harvested in shallow water, using a crab post, that is 36" to 42" across and 1 foot deep. It is lowered into the shallow water and you are seeking crabs that are 5 to 6 pounds each. If they are smaller, you must throw them back, and if they are females, you must throw them back. "A big crab in the Pacific will be an 8 pounder," relates Mackey. "But, they are fun to catch and even more fun to eat!"

 

A Dungess Crab such as Mackey and his fellow crabbers will fish for in the Pacific waters.

 

 

Keane denotes that being out on the water, requires special clothing, that is durable, and that the temperatures in the 50's and with the winds and being wet much of the time requires protection. "You always wear a toboggan to keep your head warm and the body heat, inside, then you wear a durable Carhart Jacket, wool socks, steel-toed shoes, and denim pants that are durable and fit comfortably," stated Keane. "You want to be protected from the weather, but have to be able to work comfortably as you're constantly moving around and active on board the boat!"

I don't know about you, but I've certainly got a deeper appreciation for the seafood that I enjoy and have learned a little bit about the way it is harvested and brought to my table! The next time I sit down and enjoy shrimp, cod, salmon, or some other delicacy, I'll think about Keane and his fellow fishermen, out harvesting the meal I'm enjoying!

Bon voyage!

 

The next time I enjoy seafood, I'll think of Keane Mackey and his fellow fishermen, who
harvest the delicacies so that I can enjoy them!

 

Keane Mackey reflects on his next voyage into the Pacific, as he brings in
the catch of some more delicious seafood!

 

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