Al Townsend was introduced to salmon fishing in Newport by his Grandfather, Clarence Faulkner. By 1980, he had begun his career as a commercial salmon fisherman in Newport. He was the owner/operator of the F/V Sunwest. After the total closure of salmon fishing for the year 2006, he became one of the first participants in the NOAA CROOS program, and for several years was one of the top providers of salmon DNA and scale samples for scientists studying the migration patterns of Chinook Salmon along the Oregon coast. . >click to read< 10:06
Tag Archives: has passed away

Roberto Gonzalez of Key West, Florida has passed away. He found and lived the American dream
Born to his parents, Maria Paula Oliva and Pedro Gonzalez on the 31st day of March, 1933, in Quiebra Hacha, Cuba. At the tender age of 2, he lost his beloved mother, and, shortly after his father followed, leaving him an orphan at the age of 6. At the age of 23, Roberto met his love Benedicta Herrera. Building their home together in Key West, where he worked as Commercial Fisherman for Stock Island Lobster along side of Peter Bacle. After hard work and sacrifice, in 1979, Roberto purchased his pride and joy, a 43ft. Torres, The Thunderbird, which is still up and running, and one of the most well known boats among the industry. >click to read< 10:39
Benedicta Herrera de Gonzalez – She met the love of her life, and later married her best friend, Roberto Gonzalez in 1956. She met the love of her life, and later married her best friend, Roberto Gonzalez in 1956. Together they voyaged into freedom, Although, she and Roberto separated they remained family, involved in their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren’s everyday lives, celebrating all their events together. They were a forever family. >click to read< 11:47

Sara Skamser remembered as trailblazer, innovator in the commercial fishing industry
As news of Sara Skamser’s death spread across the community last week, people were mourning her passing but also celebrating the life of the woman who made such a huge impact in the fishing industry and on everyone who knew her.,, Commenting on a social media post from the Fishermen’s Wives about Skamser’s death, dozens of people shared their sadness and condolences. She was called “gutsy,” “a great teacher,” “a bright light in everything she did,” and “a tough cookie.” One commenter said Skamser was the “trawl goddess of the West Coast and one of the smartest, funniest, concerned, compassionate and generous people you would have ever met.” >click to read< 08:56

Kyle Richard Craig 37, of Sedro Woolley, WA, a Commercial Fisherman, has passed away
Kyle was born on February 6, 1984 in Seattle, WA to Rick and LoRayne Craig of Lynnwood, WA. Kyle was raised in Lynnwood, where as a youth, he enjoyed playing baseball, hockey and earned his athletic letter in golf while attending Edmonds-Woodway High School. Kyle’s love of fishing began as a child while on camping trips with his family to Jameson Lake. Trout fishing on the lake and participating in “Karen’s Fishing Derbies” led to a career as a Commercial Fisherman, fishing for crab in Alaska’s Bering Sea and black cod and halibut in the Gulf of Alaska. He loved the sea, his work, and appreciated his crewmates. >click to read< 19:45

Lloyd Earl “Bucky” Chatham of Seadrift, Texas, a retired commercial fisherman has passed away
Lloyd Earl “Bucky” Chatham, 78, of Seadrift, passed away May 31, 2021. He was born April 8, 1943 in El Paso to Charles P. Chatham and Mary M. Chatham. Bucky had many passions in life, hunting, fishing, traveling, diving, rowing many years in the Texas Water Safari, volunteering at the Calhoun County Humane Society, his family and many friends he met along the way. He was blessed to have worked doing what he loved and retired as a commercial fisherman. >click to read< 15:05

Joe Lewis Jr., of Broad Creek, has passed away, service to be on Friday
Joe E. “Big Boy” Lewis Jr., 65, of Broad Creek, passed away on Saturday, May 22, 2021, at his home. A gathering of family and friends for Joe is from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Munden Funeral Home. Joe was born Sept. 10, 1955, to the late Joe E. and Fronie Lewis. He was born in Carteret County and resided in Broad Creek his entire life. He worked as a commercial fisherman for more than 20 years and enjoyed spending his time with friends and family. >click to read< 19:50

Chase Dixon of Otway, N.C. has passed away
Chase Arline Dixon, 23, of Otway, passed away Friday, March 12, 2021, at his home. Chase loved working on the water as a commercial fisherman. He was a very loving person and had a very loving relationship with his mother and his sisters. He was an ambitious and helpful person who never knew a stranger. He loved hunting and spending time working in the garage with his father and in Texas with his cousins, Courtney and Cameron. His service is at 2 p.m. Thursday at Munden Funeral Home. >click to read< 12:51

Leslie “Buddy” Rose, 81, of Harkers Island has passed away
Leslie Roger “Buddy” Rose was born July 15, 1939, to Leslie and Christine Rose on Harkers Island, being the first son after seven daughters. Six more children followed Leslie. His father, Leslie, was a commercial fisherman with Stacy Davis for at least 20 years. Times were hard for a family that size on a fisherman’s pay. As a teenager, he commercial fished with Ivey Gaskill,,, He and his wife Ann decided to take a chance on starting his own boatbuilding business. It was tough starting with nothing, especially that first year or so, but eventually things improved. Leslie built 62 boats over a 17-year period, sending boats as far north as Massachusetts and as far south as Florida. >click to read< 19:04

Commercial Fisherman Scott Landis has passed away
Scott grew up in Saratoga, California. After attending college at Chico State and having a life-altering experience in Mexico, he headed north to Alaska in 1973. He wanted to get a mining claim and become a gold miner, but with a baby on the way and the cohos running, he quickly changed career paths and became a commercial fisherman, something he had great passion for. Scott and his partner, Amy Limber, settled in the small fishing village of Port Alexander and had two children, Lael and Sasha. Scott quickly outgrew his 16-foot Poulsbo skiff and upgraded to larger boats. >click to read< 08:34

Stanley Clarence Hasbrouck of Tillamook, Oregon, has passed away
Stanley C. Hasbrouck, loving father of six, passed away on Jan. 7, 2021 at the age of 88. Stan was born on May 3, 1932 to Fred and May Hasbrouck, he was the youngest of 5 children. He joined the army in 1952 and served his country during the Korean War. Stanley was a commercial fisherman most of his life. He was also a mechanic, heavy equipment operator and the airport manager in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. >click to read< 09:55

Longtime, devoted Galveston shrimper Joseph “Captain Joe,” Grillo dies
Joseph Anthony Grillo, a commercial shrimper for more than 50 years who fought for legislation to protect the island industry, died on Jan. 1 at his home. He was 89. Grillo, affectionately known as “Captain Joe,” was born Jan.10, 1931, in Apalachicola, Florida. He moved to Galveston with his family in 1940. Grillo was a loving family man, a hard-working commercial shrimper and devoted Roman Catholic, his family and friends say. Grillo purchased his shrimp boat, which he named Santa Maria, in 1952 and he and his wife operated it until they sold the boat at their retirement in 2003 to the Galveston Historical Foundation, which made it a part of its Texas Seaport Museum on Harborside Drive. >click to read< 09:55

Chesapeake Bay Says Goodbye to a Classic Virginia Deadrise Boatbuilder
Edward Diggs, an iconic builder of deadrise workboats, left the Chesapeake Bay for good on Thanksgiving after a long, well-lived life. He was 93 and had lived for many years in the home he built with his family on Mobjack Bay in Redart. Diggs began building boats with his father and later built with Alton Smith,,, Diggs boats were large (44-50’), high-sided, and built stout. Mr. Edward’s last large boat is a good example: Dutch Girl is 50’ x 15’, built in 1992 at Horn Harbor for Capt. Dave Thompson. Thompson took her to New York,,, >click to read< 18:20

Lars Petter Austnes: Longtime commercial fisherman was known for his big heart, Viking spirit, has passed away
Lars Petter Austnes of Edmonds, Washington passed away on April 29, 2020 at the age of 64. Lars was born October 2, 1955 in Ålesund, Norway, the third child of four to his parents Edvin and Henrikke Austnes. In 1985, he moved to Ballard in Seattle, Washington to work with other Norwegian fishermen in the growing Alaskan Pollock industry in the Bering Sea. Upon arrival, he began his long employment for Glacier Fish Company, owned by the heroic leader and friend, Erik Breivik. He started on the company’s Northern Glacier Catcher/Processor as a Bosun. Lars Lars married Kim Starwich of Ballard October 19, 1991. Lars and Kim have been residents of Edmonds since 1990 and have two daughters, Annika (25) and Kristin (24). He loved and cherished his wife, girls, and dogs dearly. >click to read< 21:20
Gloucesterman John S. Testaverde has passed away
One of Gloucester’s finest and fishermen’s wharf icon’s passed away Tuesday, September 2nd in the evening. John S. Testaverde was 73. Following in the legacy of his father and grandfather, John started working with his Dad on the Johnny Babe when he was 7 years old. The memories of those early days were captured in his father’s book, Memoirs of a Gloucester Fisherman. Calling hours are 08:00 – 09:00 Friday and Service at 09:30 Read the rest here 00:19