Profiles on Fishers & Growers

Who brings your seafood to you? An interview with Thomas Foster-Kibbler and Heather Auld of Foster Fisheries

January 24, 2024

By Alison Lorenz, WSG Science Writer

Before Thomas Foster-Kibbler got into commercial fishing, he wanted to be an EMT on a firefighting crew. He was living in sunny Los Angeles County, training to help others. The problem? He was spending all his spare time and cash sport fishing on charter boats and spending, as he says, “too much money to go fishing all the time.”

That’s when something clicked. Foster-Kibbler decided to try a career in fishing commercially, and found ...

24
JAN

0

Who brings your seafood to you? An interview with Dawn Ruquet of Taylor Shellfish Farms

September 6, 2023

A story of community, connection and, of course, oysters

By Katalin Plummer, WSG Science Communications Fellow

When I first sat down with Dawn Ruquet in the Taylor Shellfish restaurant located in Pioneer Square, Seattle, she assured me that her story was ordinary, nothing to write home about. I smiled and told her that we would see about that. As a beloved member of the Taylor Shellfish Farms team, I had a hunch Dawn’s ...

6
SEP

0

Who brings your seafood to you? An interview with John Alto and Amy Sharp, a couple who work on their own commercial salmon troller

January 26, 2023

The power couple reflected on how, for them, fishing is a craft that is passed down through generations and rooted in community

By Andrea Richter-Sanchez, WSG Science Communications Fellow

They say nothing brings people together better than good company over a warm home-cooked meal, and that story was no different for John Alto and Amy Sharp. John, a troller fisherman, one day got a call from a friend inviting him over to a troller family dinner. Troller vessels generally fit ...

26
JAN

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Steve Seymour of Drayton Harbor Oyster Company

September 27, 2022

Looking ahead to National Seafood Month in October, we are sharing this profile of a local seafood entrepreneur

By Olivia Horwedel, WSG Science Communications Fellow

Steve Seymour — a fisheries biologist-turned-oyster farmer — has always been passionate about the marine world. Prior to opening Drayton Harbor Oyster Company, Steve spent most of his career running salmon hatcheries for the Lummi Nation, working on fish enhancement projects throughout Washington State.

Throughout his career ...

27
SEP

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Mike Cornman of Westport Seafood

August 30, 2022

By Olivia Horwedel, WSG Science Communications Fellow

Mike Cornman, owner of Westport Seafood and Merino’s Seafood Market, was destined to work a career connected to the ocean. Cornman grew up in Westport, Washington — which at one point was known as the salmon capital of the world — and spent his summers working in his family’s fishing business that opened in 1985. While he left for several years to start his career ...

30
AUG

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Robert Sudar, Independent Salmon Distributor

July 25, 2022

By Maddie Hansen, WSG Science Communications Fellow

“I love salmon, they’re beautiful creatures,” says Robert Sudar, who currently works as a salmon distributor in Seattle. He has been involved in the fishing industry in one way or another for the past 50 years.

Robert began as a crewmember on boats in the San Juan Islands when he was ...

25
JUL

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Dan Sleavy from High Tide Seafoods

June 28, 2022

By Benjamin Haagen, Science Communications Fellow

Local seafood processors provide valuable services to their communities by supporting fishers, bringing consistent seasonal work to locals, and providing fresh seafood. Dan Sleavy manages one such processor based in Port Angeles, High Tide Seafoods, which has been a family-owned staple of the Olympic Peninsula since 1980.

High Tide Seafoods has the largest processing facility in the area, which can process up to 60 tons of fresh salmon per day and also sells ...

28
JUN

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Hazel Secor from Cape Flattery Fishermen’s Co-Op

April 29, 2022

By Benjamin Haagen, Science Communications Fellow

Hazel Secor has been working as manager of the Cape Flattery Fisherman’s Co-op in Neah Bay, Washington since 2014, supporting the local fishing industry and working with fishers to process and distribute seafood to communities around the Olympic Peninsula.

Hazel started working in fisheries with the Makah Fish Company when she was in high school. “I grew up here — this is a fishing village, everyone fishes,” she says. “I like this work ...

25
APR

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Dave Sones

October 2, 2021

By James Lee, Science Communications Fellow

Dave Sones is a fisherman and a member of the Makah Nation at Neah Bay. He’s been fishing since 1972, when he was 12 years old. As a young man, he worked at the Ozette Archaeological Site as an interpreter; later, he became fisheries manager and natural resources director for ...

9
NOV

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? Hooked on Westport with Marina May

August 2, 2021

This story by deckhand Marina May has been republished from the City of Westport’s Experience Westport website. Marina splits her year between deckhanding out of Westport and teaching the next generation of veterinary technicians.

Many thanks to the Westport Marina Master as well as to Margo ...

2
NOV

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Jania and Gene Panida

October 26, 2020

By James Lee, Science Communications Fellow

Jania’s brother Steve Wilson is a fisherman who fishes out of La Push. Years ago, Steve began selling his fish at farmer’s markets in the Seattle and Tacoma areas under the name Wilson Fish. Eventually Jania and her husband Gene took over sales side of the business. The couple have been together for over ...

26
OCT

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Pete Knutson

October 19, 2020

By James Lee, Science Communications Fellow

Pete Knutson owns Loki Fish Company, a family business. He fishes mostly salmon, with a bit of halibut on the side. He’s the director of the Puget Sound Harvester’s Association, an industry group that represents non-treaty commercial salmon gillnet fishers, and when he’s not fishing, he’s a professor at Seattle Central Community College. Pete has ...

19
OCT

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Amy Grondin

October 12, 2020

By James Lee, Science Communications Fellow

Amy Grondin is a salmon fisherman and a sustainable seafood consultant. She owns Duna Fisheries, LLC with her business partner and husband Greg Friedrichs. When they’re not fishing on F/V Arminta, their 48-foot wooden fishing boat, their home port is Port Townsend.

Amy grew up in Maine and put ...

12
OCT

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Andy Mitby

October 5, 2020

By James Lee, Science Communications Fellow

Andy Mitby of Drake Teal Fisheries is a fourth-generation fisherman and also a Husky alum, with a bachelor’s degree in marine science from the University of Washington. He says his house is now divided, now that his kids attend UW and Washington State University. Andy was interviewed just before he left Bristol Bay, Alaska for the ...

5
OCT

0

Who Brings Your Seafood to You? An Interview with Libie Cain

October 1, 2020

By James Lee, Science Communications Fellow

Libie Cain fishes Dungeness crab and albacore out of Westport. She grew up on Cooper Point by Evergreen State College and has an architectural degree. In fact, she was part of the team that helped build the Natural Resources Building in Olympia. She has also been a director for the Western Fishboat ...

29
SEP

0