It's Hard Out There For A Fisherman

The life of a salmon fisherman is dangerous and deadly. Thanks to the BP oil spill, waters will likely continue to be rough for fishermen for years to come.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010 1:08 GMT

In his book Red Summer: The Danger And Madness Of Commercial Salmon Fishing In Alaska (Schaffner Press), Bill Carter recounts the four summers he spent fishing for salmon on the Bering Sea.

He says the experience was very much like the TV series, Deadliest Catch, because it was an “exercise in brute force” with danger around every corner.

Carter recalls, “The smallest mistake could cost a life. If you grabbed the net with your hands, you’re going overboard.”

The former fisherman still has much adoration for the sea, but fears our waters are now affected forever more due to the BP oil spill in the Gulf Of Mexico.

Carter spent many years at sea in an area affected by the Valdez oil spill, which in his words, “ruined fishery for 30 years.”

Because the Alaska spill is still affecting fishermen, it gives him little hope for the areas covered by the BP spill.