Juneau’s Thatcher Brouwer was recently named executive director of United Fishermen of Alaska, also known as UFA. Brouwer has more than two decades under his belt as a commercial fisherman and years of experience with statewide fisheries policy.
KTOO’s Mike Lane recently sat down with Brouwer to talk about the challenges and rewards of working in the commercial fishing industry.
Listen:
The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Mike Lane: For listeners who may not be familiar with UFA. What does the organization do, and who does it represent?
Thatcher Brouwer: The United Fishermen of Alaska, or UFA, is a trade organization that represents commercial fishermen who participate in fisheries across Alaska,. We have 33 member organizations, and then 4 independent board members who are elected by the the general membership that are make up United Fishermen of Alaska. We represent organizations that, in turn, represent fisheries from some of the smallest fisheries in the state to some of the largest fisheries in the state,
Mike Lane: Alaska’s commercial fishing industry is facing a number of challenges right now. So, what are the biggest concerns that you’re hearing from fishermen?
Thatcher Brouwer: I think, as we all know, it’s getting more expensive to do business. But not just the cost of fuel – it’s everything from food to fishing gear to vessel payments or vessels getting more expensive. Some of the permits are more expensive, some of the permits are not.
Mike Lane: So the cost is a big concern at this point?
Thatcher Brouwer: Yes. That said, there are some years like this year for many of the species, not all species, the price fishermen got paid at the dock this summer was higher than it had been in some time, and so that higher price the fishermen got paid helped offset the higher expenses.
Mike Lane: According to a recent story regarding you stepping into the position of executive director for UFA, you have over two decades of experience as a commercial fisherman. So how did you get started? How old were you?
Thatcher Brouwer: I first started commercial fishing when I was in high school. I fished with my uncle on a seiner in Southeast Alaska. He fished every summer for about a decade before he moved on to something else. But when I was in high school, I never fished for a full summer, but I fished for about a month, a couple different years. I got a taste of fishing in Alaska, and then didn’t fish during my college years. But after college, I ended up moving up to Southeast Alaska, and got back into commercial fishing.
Mike Lane: Something that’s been happening for a while in the industry is the aging of the fleet. So fishermen are aging, and there’s not enough young people getting into the industry. Are are you seeing that trend?
Thatcher Brouwer: I have seen that trend, but I do think that there’s good reason for young people to be immersed in the industry and become involved, get a job as a crew, and learn the ropes and then move on to owning a vessel and purchasing a permit and and becoming a full time commercial fisherman.
Mike Lane: Now, if a young person is thinking about becoming a commercial fisher person, how should they get started? Besides just working summers as a deckhand and that sort of a thing, is there something else they can do to increase their potential as a commercial fisherman?
Thatcher Brouwer: I think getting a job as a crew member is really important experience, and I think it’s probably the best way to get your foot in the door. I think it’s great if you can get a job by word of mouth and try to find somebody you want to work for, and has a good reputation, and get on that boat, and figure out whether or not you want to participate in that fishery as as a permit holder and and vessel owner. I think if you do decide you want to take that next step, then there are different things you can look at. You can look at getting a loan through the through the Division of Investments, they often have favorable interest rates, and and it’s a potentially can be a good way to finance the permit and vessel purchase. As you are getting into the fishing, even as a crew member, there are certain programs I would recommend. There’s a young fishermen summit that’s not just open to young fishermen, it’s open to new fishermen. That happens every couple of years. It’s really good to take a safety course with Alaska Marine Safety Education Association. Those courses are free to commercial fishermen, and I think that’s something I would recommend. The more you get to know the fishery, the easier will be to get into it and successfully run an operation.
Mike Lane: Thatcher Brower, the executive director of United Fishermen of Alaska. Thank you for coming in.
Thatcher Brouwer: Thank you, Mike. I appreciate your time.
