Photo by Network blogger John McMurray
Since we launched our “From the Waterfront” blog in 2015, the Marine Fish Conservation Network has been proud to feature the voices of Americans deeply committed to protecting our fisheries, both for the communities who rely on them today and for generations yet to come. From commercial and recreational fishermen to fishing guides, chefs and an Anglican minister, they bring their own unique and compelling perspectives to the crucial discussions happening on Capitol Hill and on waterfronts up and down our coasts.
Each author’s name in the list below links to a list of his or her past posts on our blog. The bios provided were current at the time that they last wrote for our blog. We thank them for their words and for their tireless advocacy.
Alyssa Russell
Alyssa Russell is the communications coordinator at the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and crews on a commercial troller in Southeast Alaska.
Annelise Hill
Annelise Hill is an intern at the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations with a passion for marine science and policy. She recently graduated from Reed College where she studied Environmental Studies-Chemistry.
Ashford Rosenberg
Ashford Rosenberg is a policy analyst with the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance, an organization of commercial snapper and grouper fishermen dedicated to conservation, science-based management, and accountability in Gulf of Mexico reef fish fisheries.
Bob Borck
Bob Borck is a crab and salmon fisherman on the Belle J II in California. He has spent his career defending the working class as a union representative for the Carpenters Union and, currently, on the CA Citizens Advisory Committee on Salmon and Steelhead Trout and other various boards.
Bob Rees
Bob Rees is a professional fishing guide and executive director of the Association of NW Steelheaders.
Brett Fitzgerald
Brett Fitzgerald is CEO of Snook & Gamefish Foundation, contributing editor to Florida Sportsman Magazine and author of Sportman’s Best: Snook.
Brian Hartz
Brian Hartz’s passion for boating — and writing about it — has taken him from the lakes of Indiana and the shores of Lake Ontario to New Zealand’s pristine Hauraki Gulf and British Columbia’s Vancouver Island and Strait of Juan de Fuca. He’s written, edited, and curated content for Boating New Zealand magazine, MadMariner.com, Showboats International, and Southern Boating magazine.
Charles Witek
Charles Witek is an attorney, salt water angler and blogger. Read his work at One Angler’s Voyage.
Colles Stowell
Colles Stowell is the founder of One Fish Foundation.
Cyn Sarthou
Cynthia (Cyn) M. Sarthou has been executive director of the Gulf Restoration Network (GRN), headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana since 1995.
Dave Monti
Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing for over 40 years. He holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is a vice president of the RI Saltwater Anglers Association, an active member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association and a member of the RI Marine Fisheries Council.
Dennis McKay
Dennis McKay is a recreational angler from East Central Alabama, with Alabama roots going back 300 years.
Derek Breaux
Derek earned his Bachelor’s degree in Earth and Environmental Science from the University of New Orleans in May of 2016 and worked as a Gulf Fish Forever campaign organizer at the Gulf Restoration Network until April 2017. He spends his free time fishing the banks of South Louisiana.
Don Marshall
Don Marshall is a salmon and Dungeness crab fisherman from California and president of the Small Boat Commercial Salmon Fishermen’s Association.
Elizabeth Herendeen
Elizabeth Herendeen is based out of Southeast Alaska, where she works with nonprofits such as the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and SalmonState to help protect and promote Alaska’s wild fisheries and fishing communities.
Emily Helmick
Emily Helmick is an attorney in private practice and a realtor based in Jupiter, Florida. When she isn’t fishing or diving, she volunteers for conservation organizations protecting South Florida’s beaches, estuaries, and reefs.
Eric Brazer
Eric Brazer grew up on a fishing boat off the coast of Maine and now runs the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance, an organization of conservation-minded commercial reef fish fishermen in the Gulf.
Erin Grebenev
Erin Grebenev is the deck boss at Wild Seafood Co. in Madeira Beach, FL, where she oversees every commercial offload and actively supports policies that promote sustainable fishing practices that preserve our resources for future generations.
Evan Wynns
Evan Wynns is a law and policy clerk at the Institute for Fisheries Resources, and its sister organization, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, where he performs research and advocacy work on behalf of small-boat commercial fishermen.
Grayson Kyte
Grayson Kyte manages boats for private owners in Stuart, Florida, where he is also studying aquaculture, at Florida Atlantic University.
Hannah Heimbuch
Hannah, age 30, is a third-generation fisherman. She lives in Homer, drifts for salmon in Cook Inlet and longlines for halibut in the Gulf of Alaska.
Jamie O’Connor
Jamie O’Connor is an Alaska commercial fisherman and member of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council staff. She was raised in Bristol Bay on her family’s set-net operation, where they have harvested salmon for six generations.
Jason Goodenough
Jason Goodenough owns and operates Carrollton Market in New Orleans. He was named 2017 Chef of the Year by New Orleans Magazine and partners with the Gulf Restoration Network to help protect marine life.
Jim Lowe
Jim Lowe is a lifelong angler living in Eureka, California.
Jim Zurbrick
Jim Zurbrick is a lifelong fishermen and resident of Florida who has been an active member of the charter-for-hire and commercial fishing sectors in the Gulf for the last 35 years. He is the President of Fish For America and also serves on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s Ad Hoc Red Snapper/Grouper-Tilefish IFQ Advisory Panel.
Joel Kawahara
Joel Kawahara is the captain of the F/V Karolee, fishing for salmon out of Quilcene, Washington. He is currently serving as the Vice President of the Coastal Trollers Association and is the Commercial Fisheries representative on the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Habitat Committee.
John McMurray
Capt. John McMurray is the Owner/Operator of One More Cast Charters in Oceanside, NY.
Ken Hinman
Ken Hinman, president of Wild Oceans, has spent almost 40 years bringing fishermen and environmentalists together to protect the future of fishing.
Kendall Dix
Kendall Dix is a line cook based in New Orleans. He is also the fishery associate for Healthy Gulf, a group committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf Region.
Kyle Schaefer is a fly-fishing guide in southern Maine by summer, bonefish lodge manager by winter and conservationist every day of the year.
Lance Nacio
Lance Nacio is a commercial fisherman from Montegut, Louisiana and the owner of Anna Marie Shrimp.
Larry Collins
Larry “Diver Duck” Collins was a commercial salmon, crab and rock cod fishermen in California for thirty years. He now runs the San Francisco Community Fishing Association, and is the President of the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association and Vice President of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations.
Lee Crockett
Lee Crockett is director of the U.S. Oceans program at The Pew Charitable Trusts
Linda Behnken
Linda Behnken is executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and Co-Chair of the Marine Fish Conservation Network’ s Policy Council.
Lionel Uddipa
Lionel Uddipa is chef at Salt Restaurant in Juneau, Alaska and the 2017 Winner of the Great American Seafood Cook-off.
Lori French
Lori French is the president of Central Coast Women for Fisheries, the executive wife/mother of a commercial fishing family, and the queen-protector of California’s crab fleet. She’s also on the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations board of directors, representing Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization.
Lucas Bissett
Lucas Bissett is a Louisiana native and Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide with a passion to protect our fisheries for this generation and future generations to come.
Lyf Gildersleeve
Lyf Gildersleeve is a second-generation fish monger who actively promotes and protects sustainable use of our seafood resources. He owns Flying Fish Company, a retail fish market, meat market, and oyster bar in Portland, Oregon.
Mark Tryon
Mark Tryon is a commercial fisherman from Gulf Breeze, FL.
Megan Mackey
Megan Mackey is the fisheries program manager at Ecotrust.
Meghan Jeans
Meghan Jeans is director of conservation at the New England Aquarium.
Melanie Brown
Melanie Brown has fished Bristol Bay commercially on the set-net site that her great-grandfather established when he transitioned from Bristol Bay’s sailboat drift gillnet fishery for nearly 40 seasons. She is an ambassador of Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay and has been a part of the Save Bristol Bay campaign for over 10 years. She also serves on the board of Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
Mike Conner
Capt. Mike Conner is a licensed Florida fishing guide who has served as editor and TV host for three major fishing magazines. He has also written numerous conservation columns over the years.
Mili Vukich
Mili Vukich, is an Alaskan salmon gillnetter for Bristol Legacy Salmon, LLC, Naknek (Bristol Bay), Alaska.
Network Voices of the West Coast
Our West Coast partners come together to share opinions about unique and important issues on the left coast.
Noah Oppenheim
Noah Oppenheim is executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and the Institute for Fisheries Resources.
Noah Sunflower
Noah Sunflower is the fishing community organizer for the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
Pam Lyons Gromen
Pam Lyons Gromen is the executive director of Wild Oceans. Serving as an advocate and policy analyst for Wild Oceans, she has authored numerous recommendations on fishery management actions and regularly participates in meetings.
Patrick Paquette
Patrick Paquette is a recreational fisheries advocate from MA who covers the New England & Mid Atlantic Councils and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Paul Eidman
Capt. Paul Eidman runs Reel Therapy Fly & Light Tackle charters, based in New Jersey.
Paul Loughridge
Paul Loughridge is a commercial fisherman and owner of four boats out of Crystal River, Florida. He’s been fishing for over 25 years, starting with grouper and snapper, then expanding into stone crab. He opened his fish house in 2014.
Peter Shelley
Peter Shelley is senior counsel of Conservation Law Foundation, where he has worked for 33 years on a variety of CLF’s prominent marine and other conservation matters. He has served on NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee since 2014.
Pietro Parravano
Pietro Parravano is president of the Institute for Fisheries Resources and is from Half Moon Bay, CA.
Raleigh Hoke
Raleigh Hoke is campaign director with Healthy Gulf, a non-profit focused on the health of the Gulf of Mexico region. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing the bayous, lakes, and estuaries of Louisiana.
Rich Slusher
Rich Slusher is a life-long Californian who spends time each year pursuing Oregon’s salmon and steelhead. With a long history of conservation, Rich understands the value of conserving today’s resource for future generations of anglers.
Rick Gaffney
Rick Gaffney has fished his home waters in Hawaii, and around the world, for over half a century, and has remained actively involved in fishery management and marine conservation issues locally, nationally and internationally, since the mid-1970’s.
Rob Vandermark
Rob Vandermark is the executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network.
Rodney Smith
Capt. Rodney Smith has guided on Florida’s Space Coast for decades. He is the founder and former publisher of Coastal Angler Magazine. He is also a founding member of Anglers for Conservation.
Ryan Bradley
Ryan Bradley is the director of Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United.
Shannon Carroll
Shannon Carroll is a former commercial fishermen and fly-fishing guide. He now serves as the fisheries policy director for the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
Steve Tomeny
Steve Tomeny has been fishing in the Gulf of Mexico for over 35 years, both as a charter captain and as a commercial fisherman. He is on the boards of the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders’ Alliance and the Charter Fisherman’s Association.
Terry Gibson
Terry Gibson serves as government affairs director for the American Water Security Project, which focuses on repairing and upgrading our nation’s sewage infrastructure, and is an outdoor journalist who publishes in fishing, hunting, surfing and diving publications. He recognizes his parents and public lands and water access for bestowing those skills.
Theresa Labriola
Theresa Labriola is the West Coast fisheries project director for Wild Oceans, pursuing legal and grassroots solutions to environmental pollution and the over-exploitation of our natural resources. She has worked as a fisheries advocate in the northeast, building successful campaigns to restore our oceans by protecting forage fish like menhaden and herring.
Theresa Peterson
Theresa Peterson has worked with AMCC for 14 years and is an active fisherwoman and long-time resident of Kodiak, home to the nation’s largest fishing fleet. She currently serves as one of 11 voting members on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.
Tim Sloane
Tim Sloane is executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations and its sister organization, the Institute for Fisheries Resources
Todd Tanner
Todd Tanner is a long-time outdoor writer, a former fly fishing guide and the president of Conservation Hawks. He participated in the recent CH film Cold Waters along with angling luminaries Craig Mathews, Yvon Chouinard, Tim Romano and Steve Hemkens. Todd and his family live in western Montana.
Tom Sadler
Tom Sadler is the Network’s deputy director. He has an extensive background in advocacy and journalism and a passion for oceans and fly-fishing.
Tony Friedrich
Tony Friedrich has worked in the field of conservation for over a decade. He was the founder of Lefty Kreh’s TieFest, the largest independent fly fishing show in the Mid-Atlantic, and the executive director for CCA Maryland for almost 8 years. He lives on the Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He is vice president and policy director for the American Saltwater Guides Association.
Voices of the Network
On occasion, the Network publishes a collective blog post from its diverse and dedicated partners.
Walt Stearns
Walt Stearns is a renowned underwater photographer and research diver, with thousands of dives recorded all around the world. Walt is also an avid recreational fisherman. His byline has appeared in nearly every major recreational fishing and diving publication in the world. He is currently Publisher of The Underwater Journal. He lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Will Brown
Will Brown is an Anglican clergyman, hunter and sport fisherman.
Will Geraghty
Capt. Will Geraghty is a professional fishing guide, freelance writer, and fisheries advocate residing in Naples Florida. Capt. Will has more than twenty-five years of experience plying the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic waters for exciting gamefish and reef species. His bylines can be found in many print- and internet-based publications, including his weekly fishing column published in the Naples Daily News.
