54-year-old Prince William Sound Fisherman. Fishing Vessel Papillon.

I feel blessed for every day I can spend fishing in The Prince William Sound. My typical days start at 4 a.m. with a morning set near the beach, hot cup of coffee in hand. I enjoy this first set because often the bears are still out and I can watch an occasional deer wandering the shoreline. On a clear day I can lift my eyes to the north and see hanging glaciers on the Barrier Mountains that shield the Sound from the Interior weather. More often though, I am greeted by a light drizzle and the rich smell of the ocean when I walk onto deck to pick my net. Each salmon is bled as they come flashing aboard, full of the power their growth in Alaska's rich waters have given them. At the end of my first set, the net is aboard, the fish are layered and iced in the hold, and I'm on the hunt for another likely place to set my net. Since starting my fishing career in the Sound, I've fished many other areas in the state but both the natural beauty and the sustainability of this 100-year-old fishery brought me back about 10 years ago. I'm proud of my part in bringing quality sockeye salmon to market. I'm harvesting one of nature's finest fish and I treat it with the respect it deserves.