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USAID and Seafood Industry Partners to Hold 1st Responsible Seafood Summit in the Philippines

September 6, 2023 — The following was released by USAID:

Hi there,

USAID and Seafood Industry Partners to Hold 1st Responsible Seafood Summit in the Philippines
[Manila, Philippines] 4 Sept. 2023   – A groundbreaking event will bring together over 170 participants from various sectors to champion responsible seafood sourcing (RSS) and combat illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Philippines. The 1st Responsible Seafood Summit aims to foster greater awareness, recognition, demand, and support for responsible seafood sourcing across the seafood industry value chain in the Philippines.
Organized with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Fish Right Program, the     Summit will be held on Sept. 14, at the Novotel Manila Araneta City and kickstart the official celebration of the 60th Fish Conservation Week in the Philippines.
The Summit will feature a technical workshop on Responsible Seafood Sourcing principles and practices, followed by an afternoon session celebrating milestones and industry partnerships under the Better Seafood Philippines (BSP) Program, which was established through the USAID Fish Right Program. BSP is led by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) and aims to enhance supply chain development efforts and industry partnerships on RSS. This program seeks to transform market-based approaches to address IUU fishing through the seafood supply chain.
Attendees will include representatives from USAID Philippines, the Philippine government (DTI, DA-BFAR, and DOST), private sector seafood industry, local government units (LGUs), community-based organizations, USAID implementing partners, and other sectors.
Ryder Rogers, Director of the Environment Office at USAID Philippines, and Dr. Drusila Esther Bayate, Undersecretary for Fisheries at the Department of Agriculture, will deliver remarks during the Summit. Notable private sector participants include JT Solis, CEO and Co-Founder of Farm to Mayani Inc., and Nanette Cadutdut, President of the Bogtong Fish Processors Association.
About USAID Fish Right:
USAID Fish Right is a seven-year, $33 million initiative that promotes resilient and sustainable fisheries management across various regions in the Philippines. The program focuses on areas such as Palawan, Southern Negros, Visayan Sea, and Fisheries Management Areas 5 and 6 in the West Philippine Seascape.
Contact Information:
For media inquiries, please contact:
Charlotte Maiden, SFP
+1 (732)-865-6154

Our 2023 College-Supported Students Share Insights

August 30, 2023 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Since 2006, NOAA has partnered with colleges to provide undergraduate students college-funded summer internship opportunities. Students enrolled in one of the partner colleges participate and apply through that college. NOAA also collaborates with other universities to offer internship opportunities to help them fulfill their degree requirements.

This year, our science center hosted four students from three states and four different colleges and universities. Projects focused on endangered species, coastal fish distribution, aquaculture gear as fish habitat, and oral histories.

In each profile, students outline their project, explain why it’s important, and—always the most compelling part—share insights they’ve gained into marine science as a career during their time with us.

 

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Joins New Nature Crimes Alliance

August 24, 2023 — Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) yesterday joined World Resources Institute (WRI), the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, U.S. State Department, and others in announcing the new Nature Crime Alliance and the Vancouver Statement on Nature Crime at an event at the Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Alliance brings together critical stakeholders to combat a broad range of nature crimes. SFP is a founding member of the Alliance and will participate in its work to combat illegal fishing.

“Effectively fighting illegal fishing requires coordination and collaboration of key stakeholders,” said Braddock Spear, global policy director at SFP. “To stop illegal fishing, we need solid and just laws with broad support, and good and fair enforcement. The Alliance will bring together necessary stakeholders and resources at a global scale never done before, and create a platform to implement our shared vision of stopping illegal fishing.”

SFP is the first organization to join the Alliance to focus specifically on improving fisheries management and enforcement at national and international levels to stop illegal fishing. The initial aim is to bring together government officials, seafood buyers, and companies to develop and enhance electronic monitoring systems and verification through better data sharing, transparency, and best practices.

“We joined the Alliance at its inception to scale-up and speed up initiatives to fight illegal fishing and improve fisheries management systems globally,” said Spear. “SFP is poised to bring the seafood industry along on its journey to coordinated action against illegal fishing to a global level.”

SFP, in conjunction with WRI, will engage and mobilize their extensive networks to recruit additional partners, forge new collaborations, and raise funding for new and expanded projects. The Alliance will also heighten knowledge and awareness of the problems and costs of illegal fishing.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fishing nations, especially developing countries, lose billions of dollars due to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing each year. IUU fishing is a major driver of the destruction of marine ecosystems and accounts for one-fifth of the global fish catch, making it the most lucrative natural resource crime after illegal timber and mining.

Behind The Scenes: What ‘Shoreside Support’ Really Looks Like for Fishing Families

August 12, 2023 — What is it really like for those considered “Shoreside Support?” You met some of our fishing families in the previous article, Fishing Family Point of View: Regulations and Policies across the Coasts, but what does it take to love a commercial fisherman? My fellow Partners of Commercial Fishermen and I can tell you straight.

Lindsey Hoadley is the owner of the lifestyle brand Mothersun and the Captain, wife to John Hoadley, and mama to two girls, Soleil and Echo. John is a spiny lobsterman, urchin, and sea cucumber fisherman out of Santa Barbara, California. The husband and wife team are currently building their new business, thegoodcaptainco.com.

Their love story began as a decade-long friendship before love, marriage, and John becoming a stepfather to her oldest, Soleil. “When we gave birth (to our second child), we had just bought our lobster permit to start our first lobster season, so we birthed a baby and a new business at the same time,” Lindsey said. “It has been a thrilling ride growing a family and our businesses.”

Challenges of this lifestyle vary from fishery to fishery, and Lindsey can testify. “John’s original fishery is sea urchin, which is WAY different than lobster. So it’s diving vs. trapping, which is not similar in any way, really,” Lindsey said. “I had to talk to my therapist about his line of work because it really scared me that he was underwater all day, every day, out at the islands where there are tons of sharks and weather and current.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Glenn Prickett, incoming Gulf of Maine Research Institute CEO, welcomes industry collaboration

August 9, 2023 — The Portland, Maine, U.S.A.-based Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), an independent marine nonprofit dedicated to studying the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the people who depend on it, recently announced the hiring of Glenn Prickett as its next CEO. Prickett, who was previously president and CEO of the World Environment Center in Washington, D.C., has 35 years of environmental, climate, and business development experience working with NGOs, volunteer organizations, and the private sector. He will start his tenure at GMRI in September. In an interview with SeafoodSource, Prickett discussed his new role and what he hopes to accomplish during his time at the helm of GMRI.

The following was released by SeafoodSource

The harmful practices of trophy fishing

August 9, 2023 — The following was released by the Blue Planet Society:

While much is talked about the impact of commercial fishing on fish populations and the ocean’s health, recreational and trophy fishing also play a role in contributing to marine biodiversity decline. These don’t usually get the same conservation spotlight as people might feel there are more pressing issues when it comes to protecting the oceans. Supertrawlers, illegal fishing, ghost nets… those are urgent matters which need attention and immediate action. However, when we look at fishing as a whole, there’s, unfortunately, more to worry about.

Recreational fishing, also called angling, is one of the most popular outdoor activities around the globe and has been around for centuries. Like hunting, fishing originated as a means to provide food before becoming a pastime. There are references to angling dating from 2000 BCE, as well as in ancient Greek and Roman writings. Techniques and equipment have evolved since then, leading to a new sport category: trophy fishing.

Trophy fishing targets the largest individuals of a species aiming to obtain an award and, in some cases, large sums of money. Since its launch in 1939, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the biggest organisation of its kind worldwide, has been tracking saltwater records. Besides regulating the sport, its purpose was to help conservation efforts. While this still is an IGFA pillar, it’s a flawed one as it fails to understand the risks it poses to biodiversity and to protect vulnerable species.

[…]

Considering all these points, the 2014 research mentioned above recommended that the IGFA stopped awarding world records for species identified as Threatened with Extinction in the IUCN’s Red List. This small but significant change would reduce fishing pressure on those while still allowing trophy fishing for more than 90% of the species in the IGFA records. Another suggestion made by the experts was to develop non-lethal alternatives to the current requirements, including length-based records and high-quality photographs allowing the catch-and-release of threatened species.

The advice wasn’t welcomed by Jason Schratwieser, who was IGFA’s Conservation Director at the time and is currently the organisation’s President. He claimed that the record submissions for threatened species are “rare events”, not considering that even a small number can have a disproportionately high impact on those populations, as previously explained. Also, he failed to recognise the unknown number of near-record-sized fish that might be killed in the process.

Schratwieser also pointed out that “commercial landings for many of these species are an order of magnitude higher than trophy fishing efforts.” The impacts of overfishing on marine biodiversity are well-known and well-documented – and weren’t the focus of this study. Shifting the blame is pointless and counterproductive, especially for an organisation that, in theory, has conservation as one of its values. We can’t reverse the damage that’s been already done; however, we can change current policies and ensure the protection of threatened species for a better present and future.

By failing to protect endangered species, IGFA incentivises competitions to do the same. The White Marlin Open is one of the biggest fishing tournaments, taking place every year in Maryland, US. It prides itself on being the ‘World’s Largest and Richest Billfish Tournament’. By the time this year’s 50th edition finishes in mid-August, it’ll have paid more than $100 million in prizes. Of the eight species fished in the competition, two are listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN’s Red List: Blue Marlin and Sailfish. The Bigeye Tuna, targeted in the contest alongside Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna, is also listed as Vulnerable.

Some of the White Marlin Open sponsors are big corporations like Mercedes Benz, Garmin, Under Armour and many others. It’s extremely concerning that companies are willing not only to support but to provide for a competition that incentivises and rewards people to catch endangered wildlife. This is only possible due to the lack of respect and protection warranted for marine animals. As consumers, we make choices based on needs, values, and desires. Would you still choose to support a brand knowing its practices are harmful to biodiversity?

The misconceptions that natural resources are endless, that fish are less sentient beings than land animals and therefore we can treat them as we please, and that their populations can thrive regardless of human actions, are outdated and have been proved wrong time and time again. This wishful and naïve thinking doesn’t agree with the biodiversity and climate crises we are facing.

While trophy fishing is a controversial activity in its own way, there are no arguments that could justify the lack of protection for endangered species. Even more so when these represent only a small number of the over 1,000 species that are currently fished for world record awards. When an international regulatory body refuses to make a small change to a policy that could help so many species at little to no cost, it’s time to rethink the sport as a whole.

Sign the petition to put pressure on the IGFA to stop awarding weight-based world records for fish species threatened with extinction.

2023 Seafood Expo Asia, taking place 11 to 13 September, slated to be largest ever

August 1, 2023 — The next edition of Seafood Expo Asia, taking place 11 to 13 September at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, is set to be the largest in the event’s history.

Event organizer Diversified Communications announced that as of 1 August, the show is nearly fully booked with an exhibit floor that will be 84 percent larger than last year. This 2023 edition of the expo also marks the second time the event will take place in Singapore after moving from its previous location in Hong Kong. [Editor’s note: Diversified Communications also owns and operates SeafoodSource].

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Science Center for Marine Fisheries Supports Research Opportunities for Students

July 23, 2023 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SECMFIS) was founded to bring together industry and academia to support cutting-edge finfish and shellfish research. A critical element of this mission is to support the careers of students and up-and-coming scientists by actively involving them in Center-funded projects. That is why SCEMFIS member institutions are proud to provide research opportunities as part of the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.

The REU program allows students to participate directly in scientific research at the undergraduate level. This gives them valuable hands-on experience in the lab and in the field, lets them contribute to published studies, and helps lay the foundation for a future career in marine science. Many of our students who have successfully completed projects in the REU program have gone on to further their careers in academia and fisheries science and management.

SCEMFIS REU students have been integral in recent projects funded by the Center, conducting research on a range of topics, including geospatial analysis of cod spawning and how it is affected by climate change; the economic feasibility of Atlantic surfclam hatcheries; how potential offshore wind developments interact with existing ocean geography and nearby ocean species; improving clam dredge designs; the importance of forage fish in marine food webs, and research into the life history and population dynamics of surfclams and ocean quahogs.

The REU program has students at many SCEMFIS member institutions, including the University of Southern Mississippi, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William and Mary, Rutgers University, Nicholls State University, the University of Richmond, Carlton College, Michigan State University and the University of Texas, Austin.

“The future of the sciences depends on getting our students directly involved in research as often as possible, and the REU program has been a great way to accomplish that,” said Dr. Eric Powell of the University of Southern Mississippi. “Our REU students have contributed to some of the most important recent work done by the Center, and the Center has served as a great launching point for many scientific careers.”

Below, SCEMFIS would like to highlight some of our recent REU students, and the work that they have done for the Center:

Samantha Alaimo: Graduate Student at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Samantha (Sam) Alaimo is a PhD student studying oceanography at Rutgers University under Dr. Josh Kohut. Working with Dr. Jeff Burst and his colleagues at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Sam hopes to better assess decadal and seasonal trends of frequently caught species compared to trends in oceanographic features, such as the Mid-Atlantic Cold Pool. Comparing fish abundance and biomass to changes in the cold pool over time would identify key environmental factors that influence fish distributions and allow for a baseline to be established prior to the construction of offshore wind.
 

Garrett Bellin: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Garrett Bellin is a rising sophomore at William & Mary studying applied statistics and data science. He is a researcher for the William & Mary Center for Geospatial Analysis, performing GIS analyses for various clients. Currently, he is working with Dr. Roger Mann using GIS mapping to find cod spawning locations and determine how they are affected by ocean warming trends. Using the DOPPIO and GLORYS ocean temperature datasets, ideal temperatures for cod spawning will be ascertained and overlaid with substrate and cod location data. Garrett hopes to be able to create GIS models that can predict future cod spawning grounds as ocean temperatures continue to rise. Policy changes could ultimately be affected which address the location and boundary of the Great South Channel Habitat Management Area near Nantucket.
 

Olivia Cohn: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Olivia (Livvie) Cohn is an undergraduate student veteran studying biology and marine science at William & Mary and is working with Dr. Roger Mann and Alex Marquardt as a Laboratory Technician in the VIMS Molluscan Ecology Lab. She has been assisting Alex in her PhD research by using image analysis to help track early growth and death rates of oyster spat. Livvie hopes to eventually take on individual research, gain more experience engaging with the local community, and fisheries management.

 

Caela Gilsinan: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Caela Gilsinan is an undergraduate at William & Mary and has been working on a wind energy/fisheries economy project with Dr. Andrew Scheld at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She has been able to meet with hatchery managers, researchers, and other experts in hatchery production, collecting information on production methods and costs, and developing a cost model to evaluate the economic viability of large-scale hatchery production for Atlantic surfclam. She developed skills in coding, simulation modeling, and analyzing techno-economic cost models to evaluate fixed, variable, and average production costs and maximum production scales.

Emily Gaudet: Undergraduate student at Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana

Emily Gaudet is a undergraduate student at Nicholls State University majoring in Biology Pre-med. She is currently working with Dr. Whitaker as an REU student on a coastal predatory diet study. Emily is focusing on Speckled Trout Cynoscion nebulosus collected from all five coastal study areas in Louisiana. She is using sequencing to identify prey that in conventional diet studies might be labeled as unidentified with the hope of providing a more complete picture of the Speckled Trout diet.  

 

Becca Horwitz: BS Degree (June 2022), Carlton College, Northfield, Minnesota


Becca has been working with Dr. Daphne Munroe and Dr. Travis Miles at the Rutgers University Department of Marine and Coastal Science for over a year. She has been exploring the overlap between the Mid-Atlantic Bight Cold Pool (a seasonally stratified coastal ocean feature) and proposed offshore wind lease areas in the Mid-Atlantic Bight region using the ocean model DOPPIO. After graduating from Carleton College in June, she joined Dr. Munroe’s lab to further explore the world of biological oceanography, as well as to continue her research. She is working on a paper that will hopefully be finished by spring 2023. Becca plans to apply for her PhD in a year after finishing her time with Dr. Munroe to continue studying the potential effects of offshore wind on the coastal environment. 

 

Nathan Kennedy: Undergraduate Student at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

Nathan Kennedy is a senior civil engineering major at the University of Texas at Austin. He is working with the Ocean Engineering Group at UT as an undergraduate research assistant, using CFD software to model and analyze the performance of a clam dredge. His focus lies in optimizing the design of the manifold by minimizing the energy losses of fluid flow through it, which he achieves by using programs like Fluent and Tecplot 360 to model the velocity and pressure distributions of various manifold designs.

Thais Lobo-Emond:  Undergraduate Student at the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

Thais Lobo-Emond is a senior civil engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin. She has been working with the Ocean Engineering Group on Computational Fluid Dynamic modeling, under the supervision of Dr. Spyros Kinnas. In her position as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, Thais has learned to work with software such as Ansys, SolidWorks, and Fluent to model flows and analyze velocity, pressure, force, movements, and other flow characteristics. Thais has been using these software programs to improve the design of clam dredge jets for better overall performance.

Brett Renken: Undergraduate Student, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida

 Brett Renken is from Oak Lawn, Illinois and is currently an undergraduate student at the University of West Florida, majoring in Marine Biology. He is working with Dr. Justine Whitaker as an REU student in the Coastal Genomics Lab at Nicholls State University. Brett’s project is part of a larger diet study and he is focusing on Spanish Mackerel Scomberomorus maculatus. He is performing dissections to remove gut contents, extracting DNA from the contents, and then sequencing to identify the contents to the lowest taxonomic level. He has also assisted with field work for other graduate students at Nicholls State, ranging from terrapin surveys at Grand Isle, Louisiana, collecting environmental DNA samples for mussel and fish species at sites in the Sabine and Calcasieu basins.

Ellen Rowe: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg Virginia

Ellen Rowe is an undergraduate student studying biology and marine science at William & Mary. She is also involved with William & Mary’s Center for Geospatial Analysis. She has created communication materials for conservation work and scientific research experience using her knowledge of Geographic Information System (GIS). She is currently working with Dr. Roger Mann as an REU student at the Virginia Institute for Marine Science (VIMS). She will be looking at oyster survey data, finding ways to present and share this research effectively. She is excited to combine her interests in marine science, GIS, and science communication during her REU project.  

Brody Phillips: Undergraduate Student at William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Brody is a first-generation undergraduate student at William & Mary majoring in biology and minoring in psychology. He is currently working with Dr. Roger Mann as a REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) student in the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Molluscan Ecology Lab to investigate the potential electromagnetic field (EMF) impacts of inter array cables from offshore wind farms on invertebrate species. This project consists of literature review of offshore wind farms, power cable modeling, and previously studied EMF relationships within the marine environment. While previous research in this area is minimal, predominant focus has been on more charismatic (vertebrate) species such as sharks, dolphins, and turtles. Almost no research related to underwater transmission cables and EMF alteration impacts at the neurological level has been done on invertebrate species. Along with literature review, he will be meeting with energy transmission engineers, neurophysiology researchers, and other professionals to determine the significance of these impacts and how they affect neuron communication and function in invertebrates. 

Austin Sanchez: Undergraduate Student at the University of Texas at Austin, TX

Austin Sanchez is a second year Environmental Engineering  student at the University of Texas, Austin. He has been working with the Ocean Engineering Group’s research team since his first year. My role is on the experimental side. He has been working on a project to optimize clam dredge jet speeds. As part of the project, he has helped design the clam dredge manifold and jets using 3D software, and has manufactured them on campus using 3D printers.

 

Rebecca Walsh: Undergraduate Student at the University of Richmond, Richmond, VA

Becca is an undergraduate at the University of Richmond studying biology, environmental studies, and geography. She spent the summer working with Dr. Robert Leaf at the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast research lab, researching the caloric content of forage fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Through direct sampling, spatial, temporal, and age based trends of caloric content were investigated. Throughout the summer, she developed skills in sampling, new lab techniques, and coding. During the summer, she was also able to participate in NOAA SEAMAP ground fish survey. Becca is currently working on a paper remotely with Dr. Leaf and as part of her honors thesis that will be finished in spring 2023 when she graduates from Richmond. 

Jasmine Whelan: BS Graduate, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia

Jasmine received a B.S. in biology with a marine science minor from the College of William & Mary. Previously she worked in an avian lab where she studied the effect of mercury pollution and stress on a songbird’s ability to promote quality feather growth. As an REU recipient at VIMS, Jasmine worked in the Molluscan Ecology Lab assisting PhD student Alex Marquardt in her research on Virginia oyster life history.

Brynne Wisner: Undergraduate, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Brynne Wisner is a senior at Michigan State University and has been working with Dr. Daphne Munroe at the Rutgers Haskin Shellfish Research Lab. She has been researching the age demographics of an Atlantic surfclam population with previously low abundance on the southern end of the Atlantic surfclam range. The results from this study will help determine current population stability and inform future fishing efforts. Brynne will be graduating this semester and hopes to continue to participate in fisheries research after graduation.

What are some of the key strategies to help commercial fishermen address their mental health?

July 17, 2023 — The aura associated with the concept of the Lone Fisherman has been expressed in art and on social media, reinforcing the reputation of commercial fishermen as solitary, strong individuals. That aura is more reality than myth, but the mental cost of it has only recently become better understood. Studies show that in the United States, suicide rates for a group of professionals that includes commercial fishermen are more than double the national average workplace fatalities.

Specifically in Massachusetts, workers in the forestry, hunting, and agriculture industries (which includes commercial fishing) are more likely than the average worker to be prescribed opioids to manage work-related pain and injuries and about five times more likely to die of opioid-related causes. The commercial fishing industry across the country echoes the struggle of opioid addiction and the connection to mental health issues, and with a younger generation of fishermen entering the workforce, this is something industry professionals must not ignore.

Stress has always been a factor in the commercial fishing industry, with fishermen facing unique stressors that are not always present in other industries. These stressors can include finances, finding a competent crew, weather, boat problems, lack of sleep, chronic pain, or trauma. A 2019 article mentioned that commercial fishing is the most dangerous civilian job in the U.S., with 100 deaths per 100,000 workers. It is an isolating, dangerous occupation full of uncertainty and expenses.

How are fishermen dealing with all these issues on a day-to-day basis? What does it mean to identify these distinct stressors, to acknowledge a traumatic event, or to recognize the signs of a crisis on your boat?

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Noted mariner, innovator Erling Skaar goes out singing

July 16, 2023 — Erling Skaar, a noted vessel master and technical innovator in North Pacific fisheries and marine operations, and a man known for his strong principles on safety, efficiency, and resource conservation, passed away July 1 at age 80.

Skaar suffered a pair of strokes and died in Salem, Ore. after giving a robust performance at Sangerfest 2023, where he participated as a long-time member of the Norwegian Male Chorus of Seattle.

Skaar grew up in a family of mariners in Stavanger, Norway. Trained as a marine engineer, he worked a few years as a teenager aboard Norwegian freighters and herring vessels, and then emigrated to the United States at age 20 in 1962.

In the U.S., Skaar signed onto a Shell Oil exploration vessel out of Oregon, starting as mess man and rising to chief engineer aboard the 5,000-hp Cal Tide by 1965. At a dance in Seattle, he met Liv Jorgensen, another new immigrant who grew up near Farsund, in the south of Norway. The couple married in 1964. That summer, Skaar tried his hand at fishing salmon in Alaska’s Bristol Bay.

The lure of Alaska fishing took hold. Skaar left Shell in 1967 to fish for king crab aboard the F/V Foremost, then worked aboard a succession of vessels before acquiring his own. Naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1968, Skaar settled in Seattle and joined Ballard’s Norwegian community, an engine of the nation’s rising offshore fishing industry in the North Pacific.

He fished salmon and served as a port engineer at False Pass and Port Moller, then crabbed out of Adak on the Kevleen K. Skaar trawled off Oregon and Washington aboard the Windjammer, and in 1970 he signed on with the Mar-Gun, working under the tutelage of skipper-owner Gunnar Ildhuso.

Spotting greater opportunities ahead, Skaar studied navigation at the Kildall School in Seattle. Upon graduation he signed on as captain of the Silver Dolphin, fishing king crab, tanner crab and blue king crab near Adak and the Pribilofs. Ready to run his own boat, in 1974 Skaar partnered with Ildhuso and New England Fish Company to commission a new Marco crabber, the North American. The 108-footer launched in 1975 with capabilities that were rarely seen at that time.

Skaar raised eyebrows on the waterfront by outfitting the North American with a Caterpillar 399, a 16-cylinder beast generating 1,100 hp, hundreds more than most crabbers of that era. That choice laid the foundation for some of his later innovations to improve the efficiency, safety and reliability of working vessels.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman