Fishing Careers: Efforts Being Made to Attract, Keep Young Harvesters
Twenty-one-year-old Megan Wallace of Kodiak readily admits that commercial fishing is a gamble, one involving hard work, long hours and yes, at times, danger.
“But I like how the hard work pays off,” she told Fishermen’s News. “It’s a great feeling when you catch a lot of fish.”
On a break from harvesting in mid-October, Wallace mused about the adventures she’s had of late. In 2021, Wallace spent 10 months crewing at sea, harvesting salmon in Bristol Bay, halibut in Area 4A near Dutch Harbor for halibut, Pacific cod in the Central and Western Gulf of Alaska, and then the Bering Sea A season for cod and the western Bering Sea for Bairdi crab.
“I just love everything about it, the challenge,” she said. “This is something a girl can do. I just love the rush and the whole process. My goa...