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April Ostapchuk

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@mrsrostapchuk

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Registered: 1 year ago

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Last Activity: 1 month ago

Topics Started: 2

Replies Created: 6

Forum Role: Participant

It may go something like this: “Actually, we’re not sure. Maybe this, maybe that. We’ll see how the season goes/when they’ll finish up, etc., etc., etc.”

Who gets this on a visceral level? 🙋‍♀️

Making plans can be a challenge when you’re not sure if your fisherman will be around in the fishing season or in the off-season if they’re preparing to go out again. (Boat errands and projects seem to be eternal!) At times, POCFs keeps their fingers crossed that the weather will work in their favor to keep their fisherman at port. I’ve definitely done this before. 🤞

I know many of us have experienced missed birthdays, holidays, family gatherings and celebrations w our partners. But learning to turn those events into new traditions or experiences with the ones who are nearest can be their own magical surprise.

As POCFs, we know you just gotta go with the flow. 😎 🌊

💬 Connecting with POCFs in our private group chat has been such a fun bonus during time like this...bc they get it! No explanation needed. (We’d love for you to join - DM me or see the link in the bio for more!)

Just for fun, I’d love to know, what are your “plans” as a fishing couple for 2025? 🤔😝

#fishing #fishingcouple #commercialfishing #ldr #parternsofcommercialfishermen #pocfpride

Fill in the blank. 🤔🤳 Let’s share what helps us get through to inspire our fellow POCFs!

Numerous studies on the fishing industry show its success is due to the invisible labor of Partners of Commercial Fishermen. A 1973 study by NOAA states, “the fisherman’s very chances for success in his job may be diminished or enhanced according to his wife’s understanding and adjustment to the idiosyncrasies in the work…an asset to their husbands and the industry to commercial fishing.” MIC DROP.

Want to hear it from the women themselves? Our latest podcast features @ashleysseafood Ashley Vellis of Humboldt Bay, California who describes starting their seafood business by first learning how to fillet a fish on YouTube and has evolved into a leader of her community.

Another POCF @ironandpearls Kinsey Brown recently posted that almost all fishing operations that made tech upgrades did so because the spouse or partner was involved in applying for grant funds.

And the list goes on.

Our power is our Womanhood. It expands from being a listener, lover, and partner into advocacy, business management, and so much more. These themes complement each other because, *since the beginning of our economic civilization,* POCFs have been instrumental in keeping the industry going and protecting our fisheries, fishermen, and fishing families. MIC DROP #2

Reflecting on your strengths and value is a privilege, and I love getting to know you on a deeper level in our private communities (Link in bio for more!). There is a group of POCFs who understand our incredible life and are available to you when you want to meet others, learn how they are working through challenges in their fisheries, and when you need support most.

Shout out to the invisible labor of Partners of Commercial Fishermen around the globe. May we always be seen, heard, and feel less alone.

Please share in the comments if you relate to this Reel! No small or wrong answers here!

#Partnersofcommercialfishermen #pocfpride #workingrelationship #longdistancerelationship #commercialfishing #LDR #fishingcouples

I saw this quote on an another post and reworked it to reflect fishing couples - this may be one of the most accurate statements for loving a fisherman. Do you agree?

After being with my fisherman for 9 ½ years, through 15 seasons and 4 fisheries….where he’s been both a captain and a deckhand…as we’ve lived together near his home port and thousands of miles apart during fishing seasons…this incredibly unique lifestyle has brought us through the biggest wins and the hardest challenges – both personally and professionally – for the both of us. It forces us to put our egos down, learn how to communicate (repeatedly), and prioritize intimacy (even in tough times).

While talking on the phone with Chris last night (he, in California, and I, in North Carolina), I realized this experience continually gives us a great perspective on our growth as individuals and as a couple.

I am so grateful for the time we spend together
The Time we spend apart
The Time I spend alone
The Time I spend with my family
The Time with friends
The Time that fishing has allowed me time to build a community with YOU.

I am so grateful for our connection, whether virtual or in person.

We are connected through a lineage of Partners of Commercial Fishermen who have supported the industry, its fishermen, families, and communities *since the dawn of our economic civilization.*

If you feel challenged at times, we understand what you’re going through. If you’re overcoming obstacles, we celebrate with you. (I see this represented beautifully in our private group chat.)

We walk arm and arm together, a powerful light beaming from the centers of our hearts to our families and communities while making a difference in the world.

We are the Partners of Commercial Fishermen.

May we always know the power that lies within us all.

May we always know that we are not alone.

#PartnersofCommercialFishermen #POCFPride

Happy New Year! We’re officially settling into 2025, and I have a great feeling about this year. Thank you so much for being apart of this community. I truly love and appreciate each of you and value to give just by being here. ⚓️

Community is a HUGE part of looking out for our personal wellness and that is the theme that will start our year.

After hosting our community for over five years, as Partners of Commercial Fishermen, I’ve learned there are 4 main topics that also affect our wellbeing on a daily basis:

⚓️ Personal Wellness/Mental Wellness for our Fishermen

⚓️ Relationship Connection

⚓️ Finances

⚓️ Fishery Support/Advocacy

⚓️ Other

👇 Rank yours in the comments. 👇 And if your open to share, please explain a little abt why you chose one or two (or all) of them. Let’s walk through this together!

I’d love to learn new ways to support you this year.

As a bonus, there is a new post on POCFPride.com about helpful morning routines to get centered, plus two *juicy* podcast episodes that share intimate details abt setting healthy boundaries w friends, family, and even the media we consume regularly. More on that later, but you can hop over to the Partners of Commercial Fishermen podcast to listen now!

I wish you and yours all the best. Here’s to a prosperous and joyful year for us all!

#PartnersofCommercialFishermen #POCFpride

👀 I see you! Many Partners of Commercial Fishermen are either actively campaigning for their fisheries, or wondering how to become more involved.

As we grow our Beautiful community, there will be more tools and resources to help support you in the areas you’re most interested in/needing more clarity or support in. For example:

➡️ Are you wondering where to start?

➡️ Have you hit a deadend and looking for a new route?

➡️ Is it something more nuanced than that?

🪄If you could wave a magic wand, what do you wish you had more support/clarity with to help your fishery thrive?

Let’s share where we are on our individual journeys so we can find ways to lift ourselves up to the seat of power, productivity, and prosperity for our fisheries and families!

#commercialfishing #fishery #partnersofcommercialfishermen #pocfpride

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