Late commercial seafood titan had a simple mission: feeding the hungry

February 14, 2025 National, Pacific

In the first conversation Grant Fishbook had with Andy Vitaljic more than a decade ago, Andy surprised the Christ the King Community Church pastor by saying he wanted his tombstone to read, “Andy fed the hungry.” The third-generation Croatian fisherman, who built a commercial seafood empire in Whatcom County and died at the age of 91 in September 2024, got his wish. Andy may be best remembered for his tireless efforts to help people in need, and his mausoleum inscription reflects that. Fishbook said Andy was one of the most generous humans he’d ever met — a compliment that extends to his widow, Erin. “The Vitaljics have their names attached to all kinds of humanitarian organizations around the county,” he said. “Andy was the brain and heart and passion and Erin was the organizer who made sure the ideas actually became real.” Now, Erin is looking for a successor to the empire Andy spent five decades building. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 15:11

New book explores rise and ongoing value of commercial fishing in Whatcom CountySeptember 25, 2016In "Pacific"

Commercial fisherman dies in heavy equipment accident at ENC fish marketAugust 4, 2022In "South Atlantic"

He was found fatally shot in his truck 15 years ago. Whatcom County detectives believe it was an ambushAugust 9, 2024In "Pacific"

a major philanthropist, a simple mission, American Canadian Fisheries, Andy and Erin Vitaljic, Andy Vitaljic, at-Cat Fish, Bellingham, built a commercial seafood empire, business partners, commercial fishing industry, Community Church’s food pantry, donated fish through Christ the King, feeding the hungry, Hannegan Express, Hannegan Properties, interconnected companies, late commercial seafood titan, third-generation Croatian fisherman, transportation and logistics business, Washington, Whatcom County

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The New England groundfish debacle (Part III): who or what is at fault? Nils E. Stolpe/FishNet

It took me a while to decide how to most accurately describe the situation that has been visited upon the New England fishing communities that are and since colonial times have been dependent on the groundfish fisheries.

NILS STOLPE: The New England groundfish debacle (Part IV): Is cutting back harvest really the answer?

While it’s a fact that’s hardly ever acknowledged, the assumption in fisheries management is that if the population of a stock of fish isn’t at some arbitrary level, it’s because of too much fishing. Hence the term “overfished.” Hence the mandated knee jerk reaction of the fisheries managers to not enough fish; cut back on fishing. What of other factors? They don’t count. It’s all about fishing, because fishing is all that the managers can control; it’s their Maslow’s Hammer. When it comes to the oceans it seems as if it’s about all that the industry connected mega-foundations that support the anti-fishing ENGOs with hundreds of millions of dollars a year in “donations” are interested in controlling. Read the article here

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