Heidi Berg
- Heidi is a fourth-generation commercial fisherman.
- She grew up alternating between gillnetting with her mom and longlining with her dad until working on a crabber/longliner at 15.
- By age 16, Heidi started purse seining, crabbing, and longlining. She spent a decade learning from Screamin' Bob Haltiner on the F/V Signe Lynn, until she bought her own boat.
- Heidi continues to occasionally crew with people in different fisheries, including seining for salmon out of Puget Sound in Washington, crabbing for Dungeness crab out of Westport, Washington, and squid seining out of Ventura, California.
Fisherman Q&A
Q: Which products do you sell to Sea to Shore Seafood?
A: I sell King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Pink Salmon, Silver Salmon, Halibut, and King Salmon Roe.
Q: Can you share fun facts about your Vessel name?
A: My was named after a family member of the previous owner. I bought it out of Sitka, Alaska.
Q: What sustainable fishing practices and/or gear types do you use?
A: I try to be incredibly conscious of the small things that help the environment. I keep my boat engine off as much as possible to lower my carbon footprint. I am conscious of saving anything that gets caught in my net that will not be eaten and used in its entirety. I frequently let go of large, beautiful wild king salmon while I am fishing to let them complete their spawning journey.
Q: What is your crew size for these fisheries?
A: While gillnetting, I frequently fish alone, but tend to pick up one additional crewmember during the peak of the season. While longlining, I fish with one crewmember.
Q: What do you love most about life on the water?
A: The peace and quiet that comes before and after the fishing openings, the beauty of the ocean, and how enmeshed your life becomes with nature throughout the season. I love seeing all the wildlife. there are deer, bear, whales, mink, martin, otters, seals, sealion and more playing in the water or on the shores. I feel very fortunate to be able to experience it all.
Q: What is your favorite type of fish to catch or favorite method of fishing and why?
A: My favorite fish to catch are chum salmon and I like purse seining and hand trolling. I love purse seining because of the fast pace, as well as the comradeship from the addition of more crew members (a seine boat typically has five people). I love hand trolling when there are fish.
Q: What is your favorite fish or seafood to eat and why?
A: Halibut. It has a delicious taste on its own, yet also has the ability to adapt to and go well with pretty much anything. I eat it in salads, deep fried, baked, sautéed in a butter/white wine reduction with capers and rice. Pretty any way I can get my hands on it!
Q: What is your biggest takeaway from your time spent on the water?
A: A respect for the ocean and Mother Nature. The way a beautiful, sunny, calm winter day can turn to a gale within a matter of minutes, fills me with respect and awe.
