Some of the most successful fishing companies in the U.S. require their employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Trident Seafoods, American Seafoods, and Ocean Peace, Inc. each have COVID-19 vaccination requirements posted on their company websites.
These are not small operations, by any means. Trident Seafoods operates three factory trawlers, two processing ships, 21 catcher vessels, as well as shoreside processing plants in Alaska. American Seafoods operates six factory trawlers, and Ocean Peace operates four factory trawlers and two catcher vessels. Each of these companies have many millions of dollars invested in their fleets and employ hundreds of people.
In the absence of any government mandate, why would large fishing companies require their crews to be vaccinated for COVID-19? Perhaps the answer is hard experience. Before COVID-19 vaccines were available, American Seafoods had to halt operations on three factory trawlers and Trident Seafoods had to shut down operations aboard a factory trawler and at it's largest shoreside processing plant. Weeks of inactivity aboard the boats and in the plant was very expensive for these companies.
What about your fishing operation? Can you afford to stay tied to the dock or miss work due to COVID-19? Vaccination reduces your chance of infection by 5x and your chance of hospitalization by 10x. We all know that fishing crews work, eat, and sleep in close quarters. Why take chances on becoming infected? Vaccines are safe and effective. Protect yourself, protect your crewmates, and protect your income. Use the Vaccine Finder to locate vaccinations near you and catch fish, not COVID!