Purse Seiner "Sea Fury" fishing for Chum Salmon

I recently spent a day on the fishing boat "Beryl E" with a group of tourism related professionals considering ways that a fishing boat could make money in the off season.

The "Beryl E" normally spends the summer in Alaska and the rest of the year at dock in Gig Harbor, Washington. On this beautiful October day we gathered in the morning and headed out to watch the purse seiners fishing for Chum Salmon just outside Gig Harbor.

The day was facinating. We watched the entire process of the purse seiner crews setting out their nets and pulling in their catch of Chum Salmon from the comfort of the "Beryl E" with the toasty cabin and hot coffee always available. The day was topped off with a meal of "very" fresh salmon cooked on board the boat.

Question: Would a tourist pay to spend a day on the water, learn about the history of the area, see an abundance of wildlife, learn about the fishing industry and enjoy a gourmet meal with fish as fresh as it can be?

The morning was foggy but slowly the sun broke through creating a series of amazing photo opportunities. In this picture the net is being pulled on board the boat and the catch of Chum Salmon are just breaking the surface. For more photos see the "Commercial Fishing" gallery on KitsapImages.com.

Answer: Yes, and the opportunity may soon be available in Gig Harbor, Washington.