I was surprised and thrilled when Julie Kuchepatov of Seafood and Gender Equality asked me on The Conch Podcast. One of the biggest joys in life has been hosting our community of partners of commercial fishermen, and thanks to you, we are many!
I cannot express how much our little sisterhood means to me – the support you show one another and me is another level! We get each other like no one else, which means we are not alone. And the fact that Julie wanted to recognize us was really touching and empowering; it shows that we’ve created something truly special!
(…this was also my first podcast interview ever, so my ego would like to say that around the ten-minute mark, I started to spiral for a few minutes before finding my way again. What can ya do? Julie is such a pro that she got us back on track. And shout out to her producer, Crystal Sanders, for making a gal feel comfortable, too!)
Julie also asked about one of my favorite subjects – intimacy and the POCF – and I was happy to oblige with the Clone-A-Willy and Clone-A-Pussy stories. Yep. I said pussy on a podcast. I sure did.
Click here to listen to the interview on maintaining a relationship with a commercial fisherman. The following is a clip from SAGE introducing the show:
The Conch Podcast, Season 2, Episode 10: How to Maintain a Relationship with a Commercial Fisherman
Did you know that partners of commercial fishermen are an unseen yet critical part of the seafood industry? They play invaluable roles in supporting their fishermen partners, and thereby the industry itself, yet are generally unrecognized and unpaid for this labor.
In this episode of The Conch podcast, we learn how one woman created a community of support for Partners of Commercial Fishermen to share experiences, valuable advice, and general information about seafood, all while uniting life partners of those engaged in one of the planet’s most dangerous professions – fishing.
Julie welcomes to The Conch podcast Megan Waldrep – writer, columnist, and partner of a commercial fisherman.
Here is a transcript of the episode if you’re interested. Below are some highlights from our discussion:
Episode Guide
- :00 Intro
- 02:19 When Megan started dating a commercial fisherman, she felt alone and isolated. To make sense of the fishing way of life and find others in her situation, she threw a Hail Mary.
- 5:30 That Hail Mary? A blog post about dating a commercial fisherman, which led her to create and foster a supportive community: Partners of Commercial Fishermen (POCF)
- 8:15 How to maximize your serendipity potential: Easing into the return of your fisherman partner from an extended absence
- 13:57 Whether you’re a fish farmer or a fisherman, Megan is here to support fishing families and their communities
- 17:31 A recap of challenges facing commercial fishermen
- 20:28 Megan’s coincidental link to a former guest on The Conch, Monique Coombs
- 22:43 POCF are the invisible backbone of the seafood sector, providing generally unpaid labor to support the industry
- 27:26 Megan shares three critical life tips for a POCF
- 30:36 Uplifting and amplifying the efforts of some of The Conch podcast’s former guests, Emily De Sousa and Monique Coombs!
- 33:02 Partners of commercial fishermen have needs, specifically sexual needs
- 34:52 Another way to empower yourself: get to know your own body. (
- 37:05 How to find Megan and the POCF community online
Resources: Use promo code “POCF” to get 20% off the @CloneAWillyKit.
How is your experience as a Partner of a Commercial Fisherman? I would love to know in the comments below!
If you liked this, you’d love Why I Cloned “Down There” and You Should, Too.
The Conch podcast is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE).
Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado & team at Seaworthy.
Theme music: “Dilation” by Satan’s Pilgrims
Funding for The Conch Podcast is generously provided by the David & Lucile Packard Foundation
