The remote Aleutian Islands are a group of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller islands, mostly belonging to the state of Alaska, known for challenging weather and strong winds. But that has never stopped sisters Claire Neaton and Emma Privat, 29 and 28 respectively, from fishing for halibut and salmon in the archipelago’s waters.
Neaton and Privat are commercial fishermen who grew up on an off-the-grid homestead in this remote region. In 2012, the pair founded Salmon Sisters, a seafood and apparel company that is gaining national recognition and helping feed hungry Alaskans via the Give Fish Project. (Like many female fish harvesters, they choose the term fishermen to describe themselves.)
The sisters fish for salmon, cod, and halibut alongside their family members, including their father who still fishes during the summer months. Currently, the family has four boats with crews of up to five people.
Alaska produces more wild seafood than all the other states combinedand its strict conservation practices and pristine marine waters set it apart on the global market, according to a 2017 report by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. The state has written sustainable fishing practices into its constitution, and many entitiesfishermen, scientists, conservationists, and government organizationscollaborate to make sure fish are caught by methods that maintain fish stocks and minimize harm to the plants and animals in the marine environment.
The sisters fully support and abide by the state’s strict conservation standards. While Neaton and Privat do not catch all five species of salmon found in Alaska, they are keenly aware of salmon’s cultural, environmental, and economic importance to the state, and they run their operation in ways that support independent fishermen and protect salmon as a resource. People in coastal communities depend on the ocean for their livelihood, and their identities are very much tied to the sea, Privat says. Community life is centered around and inspired by the water and the life it provides.
The apparel side of the company allows the sisters to continue to fish while also celebrating their industry and the lifestyle in Alaska. Salmon Sisters and its all-women team sells durable boots, hats, pants, and sweatshirts that depict the Alaskan way of life with nautical-themed prints that include fish, octopuses, mermaids, and waves. Their brand also partners with other fishing gear and sustainable goods companies like XtraTuf, Skida, and Rep Your Water, which provide gear for outdoorsmen while also increasing support for local conservation.