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How it is done

Anatomy of a
longline fishing boat

Click for smaller version.

The investment:

Estimated two- to three-week trip expenses for the Anna, a 56-foot boat: $8,000 to $9,000 for food, equipment, bait and ice.
Estimated cost to get started in longlining: About $300,000 investment, including $200,000 for the boat, $75,000 for equipment, $20,000 to $30,000 for a federal longline fishing permit, plus boat dock rental and electrical costs.

The income:

Longliners typically pay owner, captain and crew a percentage of the boat's profit for each trip. A typical division of the profits is: 50 percent for the owner, 20 percent for the captain and the remaining 30 percent divided among the rest of the crew. The proportion crew members are paid can depend on time worked on the boat and experience.

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Longlining basics

The longlining process begins when the main line is set out
over a 25- to 50-nautical mile* area and left to "soak" for six
to eight hours. Positioned in the water by floats and buoys,
the main line supports lines that are attached to thousands of hooks.