132 SEA GRANT COLLEGES 



ested in a life of fishing, would like to be fishermen, would hold up 

 their hand so we could get an idea. 



(Whereupon, Senator Pell counted any hands raised as requested.) 



Senator Pell. I think that the record should show that out of, maybe 

 200 young people here from our maritime State, only 3 are intierested 

 in going to sea to make a living. That is a rather sad reflection which I 

 hope will be remedied with the passage of this bill or other measures 

 of this sort. 



We had a private conversation one time, which I think should be 

 put on the record, as to the problems you face in getting a young man 

 to go to sea with you. As I understand it you do not want to take a 

 young person with you unless there is some indication that he will 

 stick with you for quite a while, is that correct ? 



Mr. Dykstra. That is correct, sir, and it's not only that there has to 

 be some indication that he is going to stick with us, but it is also very 

 difficult to take a yomig man who has had absolutely no training at 

 sea and take him as part of the crew. Not only has he no training at 

 sea but he has no training in the skills which are necessary aboard a 

 fishing boat at sea. We have young men that go up and down the 

 docks asking fishing captains to take them fishing with them, and at 

 the same time we have a number of vacancies on fishing vessels. Some- 

 time I will try to bring these two together and the vessel captain will 

 say to me, "Wliat sort of experience has he had ?" And, "Wliere has he 

 fished before?" I say, "He is just willing. He has no experience." 

 The captain says, "I have to have someone with experience. If some- 

 thing goes wrong with my net I need someone with experience who 

 can help the rest of the crew." They are just very reluctant to take a 

 young man who has had no experience. The result is that you gen- 

 erally have to have some sort of a connection, such as a relative or 

 friend on a boat who will take this young lad aboard and kind of take 

 him under his wing for a while and teach him, have him there during 

 this training period. 



Senator Pell. So, it would be almost impossible for a young man 

 from Woonsocket to go out there with no connection and get a start 

 with a fisherman ? 



Mr. Dykstra. It would be very difficult. I'd say that if he did get 

 aboard a fishing vessel, he would get aboard one of the less productive 

 vessels because that vessel would not be making much money and he 

 would have to take a man of this sort just to get a crew, so that when he 

 gets aboard a vessel he'd learn all the wrong things when he started 

 out. 



Senator Pell. Am I correct in stating that you have your fish-meal 

 factory worldng all the time and you are perfectly willmg to take in 

 young people to work for you there, but that you have a hard time 

 getting people ? 



Mr. Dykstra. That is correct. 



Senator Pell. So that when they say it is difficult to get employ- 

 ment of any sort,, that is not correct, particularly on the night shift 

 there you have openings ? 



Mr, Dykstra. We already have some college people there, in fact, 

 we hope they stay. 



Senator Pell. But you could use more ? 



Mr. Dykstra. Yes. 



Senator Pell. How many fisherman are there in Rhode Island ? 



