Australian Penthouse

Some of the world’s most dangerous jobs are carried out right here in Australia. Denise Mooney meets the men who risk everything at their 9 to 5

Millions have been enthralled by television shows like Deadliest Catch and Trawlermen, fascinated by the dramas of working on the high seas. But fishermen are not the only ones taking risks to earn a buck. In 2006, 270 people died on the job in Australia. The industries with the highest number of deaths were farming, forestry, fishing, transportation and construction.

Discovery Channel’s hit show about Alaskan fishermen isn’t called Deadliest Catch for nothing. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, fishing at sea is the most dangerous occupation in the world, with an estimated 24,000 people dying each year, out of a total 15 million workers. That’s 65 a day. And there’s little evidence to suggest these numbers are decreasing.

John Hammond, a rock lobster and king crab fisherman from Tasmania, is a fan of the show and says it paints a realistic picture of life at sea. His two fishing boats spend weeks at a time in the most dangerous waters in Australia, off the west coast of Tasmania. “We work in similar weather to the crab fishermen in Alaska,” he says. “We regularly get winds of 60 or 70 knots out there.”

The 59-year-old is one of only a handful of operators to fish these seas during rough weather. Reduced quotas mean the crew will try and pull in the big catches while the price is high in winter. Despite the treacherous conditions and a few “close shaves”, Hammond hasn’t lost anyone, though others have perished over the years: “It’s only a matter of time before you get a flogging.”

Hammond’s boats travel up to 40 nautical miles out from shore, so when a storm hits there’s no chance of making it to safety. Instead, they drop anchor and wait until it passes. “You’re bouncing up and down all night, jumping five or six metres,” Hammond tells Penthouse. “It’s like being on a big dipper.”

Huge rogue waves are a fisherman’s worst nightmare. Hauling 100kg lobster pots from the sea bed at one o’clock in the morning is not for wimps. “It’s very physically demanding. When you’re in the dark in the heavy weather, you can’t see the big waves. The boat’s rolling around violently, and it can be zero degrees with winds of 20 or 30 knots.”

Hammond’s 25-year-old son is the fourth generation to work in the family’s 100-year-old business. Recent economic woes have seen local tradies turn to fishing, but Hammond says they don’t usually last long: “You need to be brought up to it.” Hammond spends a lot of time taking care of his boats, checking alarms, diesel and electrics. It could sink in 15 minutes if something goes wrong. “We’re out here by ourselves, so if something goes pear-shaped there’s no-one to save you.”

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