Ahoy there, land-lubber. Ye be searchin' for a new line o' work, be ye? Yar, then look n'more, as ye have discovered the long-lost treasure of the Wond'rus Shmoop. Here there be bits o' knowledge-booty about makin' yer livin' out of the bounty of the sea. Er, ach, hold on, got a pirate in me throat *cough* hold on a sec *cough* shiver me timbers *cough* Yarrrrrrrrrchgch.

 

Freedom and disaster in one total package. (Source)

Er...sorry. That's better. Now where were we? Ah right, fishing as a viable career option, right. From the cold waters of Alaska to the balmy Gulf stream waters to the aptly named Cape Cod of Massachusetts, commercial fishing can be found on all sides of the country. Entire communities stake their fortunes on the bounty they can pull from the sea. 

At only around $30,000 a year, fishing isn't going to make anyone rich, but it's the kind of career that gives a greater sense of freedom than a stuffy office job (source).  Also, it's probably a few dozen times more dangerous than working in an office, so for this job to be worth it, you've really got to enjoy it.

If you're looking to be one with nature or friends with the sea, there are other lines of work you might consider. This is not that career. This is a dirty, time-consuming, dangerous, low-paying, and often thankless career choice. That said, it's also exciting, satisfying, and full of freedom. It takes a special kind of person to become a fisherman, especially when there are so many non-ocean-related office jobs available.

So how do you know if you're the right person? Well, if the term "office job" made you vomit in your mouth a little, you're on the right path. Physical strength, motivation, and a will to work through whatever conditions are pretty much necessary as well, so if you're the kind of person who breaks under pressure, do everyone a favor (especially yourself) and keep your feet out of the water.

 

Care for a swim? (Source)

While high school is full of the kind of life-improving information that will help you as a fisherman, colleges don't really offer degrees in this kind of thing. So the only way to get better, of course, is to get on that boat and give it a try―you'll know pretty quickly if this career is for you. 

If you can stomach the waves and stay relaxed through squalls and storms, then you'll be a worthy seaperson in no time. Or, you'll fall in the ocean and drown or die of hypothermia.

The term "fisherman" is a catch-all name in a few different ways. First, a person who is called this may never catch a single fish in their life. From lobsters and crabs to squid and octopuses, anyone who catches a sea-born non-mammal is known as a fisherman. 

It is also one of the last remaining job-related terms that we have that is not gender neutral, but still used to apply to women. While some attempt has been made to use the word "fisher" instead, that still kinda feels weird. So we're just going to call it whatever we feel like. Fish farmer? Sea scavenger? We'll keep working on it.

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