POCF Maressa Voss on Dating a Lobster and Sockeye Salmon Fisherman

Partners of Commercial Fishermen
james-fisherman-maressa-garner-megan-waldrep

Reading these archival interviews from when we started this community brings me so much joy, thinking about how much we’ve grown as a group and how much life has passed individually with our fishermen. I’m sharing this one because Maressa Voss will be featured on our podcast in early 2025, so this is a fun head’s up on where’s she’s been before we learn what’s she’s been up to (like publishing a book, When Shadows Grow Tall!).

Since this interview, she and her hubby, James, have married, had a beautiful baby boy, and, as I mentioned, birthed a book. GO GIRL! Maressa was one of our community’s earliest supporters, as she shares intimate stories and advice on how she navigates her relationship with a fisherman, fresh off their engagement.Ā 

This interview was initially written in April 2020.Ā 

Let’s take a step back in time…

Originally titled: Faces of U.S. Seafood with Maressa (Garner) Voss

Click the image above to learn more about Get Hooked

I know Maressa Garner because we are marrying into the same fishing family ā€“ she’s happily engaged to my fiancĆ©’s cousin, James!

Not only was I happy James found a great catch (pun intended), but I was also relieved to know that there was another person in the family who did not have experience in the fishing industry to whom I could relate.

Since then, Maressa’s jumped in feet first, learning more about the industry and even working with James’ sister’s company Get Hooked, a subscription-based delivery program in Santa Barbara, California, that provides fresh seafood from local fishermen each week.

Maressa’s passion for life, love, and local fishermen continues to grow. Graciously, she took the time to share a bit of her personal story with us today.

Meet Maressa:

(more…)

View Post

Sponsors & Partners

Together, we create much needed support and accessibly to POCFs worldwide!
Partner with us today and gain visibility to a sizable and valuable audience.
Request a sponsorship package here

Fishermen’s Wives: Coping with an Extraordinary Occupation

I’m intentionally posting this for our first blog post in February because our theme this month is “Feminine Advocacy” and the importance of bringing our feminine ways of thought, processes, minds, and hearts into fishing. You’ll see this theme played out each Wednesday when a new podcast episode drops, too!

The excerpt from “Fishermen’s Wives: Coping with an Extraordinary Occupation” is a beautiful reminder of how far we’ve come as women and POCFs and the wisdom we’ve gained from those before us, giving us strength and courage to take on what lies ahead.

Thank YOU for being a part of this community. Your presence is felt and valued by me and so many others in our community that you haven’t met in person. Yet your energy is felt and ripples out to each of us as we walk arm and arm through this incredible experience of being a Partner of Commercial Fisherman, feeling uplifted with the knowledge that we are not alone.

Check out the email I received from a listener about this episode:Ā 

“Hi, Megan. I hope this message finds you well! I am an avid listener of your POCF podcast and really enjoyed your episode this week. The book you mentioned this week, ‘Fishermen’s Wives: Coping with an Extraordinary Occupation’ is from almost 50 years ago, but so much of it remains true!

I both enjoyed and appreciated the positive framing of this book and your subsequent episode. It delights me to see a seasoned POCF, such as yourself,Ā  taking so much pride in your work in this industry. All too often, ‘women’s work’ is undervalued in our society; this goes for the commercial fishing industry, too…”

And then there was that time I went to the Work Boat Show and felt ALL KINDs of gender-gapping going on. You’ll want to hear about it. Let’s discuss…

View Post

How Depression, Addiction, + Pregnancy Loss Turned into Motherhood & a Family Seafood Business with Adra Kusnirova

OOOH, GIRL, do we talk about *overcoming* some real-life challenges?

Our theme for January is wellness because starting the year off and making sure that WE, as POCFs, feel supported is how we will best serve our relationships, families, fishing communities, and the world.

It was such a joy to chat with Adra Kusnirova, a former partner of a commercial fishing processor and part owner of a direct marketing family seafood business called Alaska Fresh Salmon.

In this episode, we go deeper than just talking about business. We discuss:

Long-distance dating
The challenges of living in remote Alaska with her partner
The isolation and depression she experienced during the rainy summers and how she used alcohol to cope with depression and pregnancy loss.
Adra also shares how she prioritized her mental health to help get her out of the downward spiral.

Of course, this story ends on a positive note!

We talk about their family business, Alaska Fresh Salmon, how the Kushnirs learned the ropes by trial and error and a lot of grit, and their mission to support and promote commercial fishermen. Adra also discusses the joys of being a mom. This episode is packed with real talk and relatable stories that show courage and resilience that we can all relate to, and I hope you get some great takeaways as I did.

Let’s dive in!

View Post