The United Fishermen of Alaska, a trade association for commercial fishermen statewide, hired a new leader. Juneau-based commercial fisherman Thatcher Brouwer started as executive director of the organization on Sept. 15.
Outgoing executive director Tracy Welch said she left UFA after roughly five years as the executive director to take over as commissioner of the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission earlier this year. She started as one of two commissioners of the commission back in May, joining the existing commissioner Rick Green. Her predecessor at CFEC Glenn Haight stepped down from the position in February.
Brouwer has been a commercial fisherman for over 20 years, according to a press release UFA posted on Sept. 21. During those two decades, he said he fished the Kodiak setnet fishery for a season. He has also fished the Southeast pot shrimp and salmon trolling seasons and halibut and black cod longline fisheries.
Brouwer also brings legislative experience to the job, having worked as a legislative aide in Juneau since 2015. He said he was introduced to the idea by a friend.
“One of my friends who got into fishing at a similar time as I did had started working with the Legislature and suggested that as a way to stay busy in the winter and help make ends meet," Brouwer said.
He started out working in a nonpartisan office, then worked his way up to working with legislators, most recently to Alaska State House Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, an independent, and former State House Rep. Democrat Geran Tarr.
Brouwer has stepped into his new role in the midst of a busy election season. He said he’s already hard at work putting together a virtual legislative candidate forum focused on commercial fishing, and preparing for upcoming trade shows in Seattle.
“The organization's job is to really advocate for fishermen, and as somebody who makes a living fishing, it's both an honor and humbling to be working for an organization like this," he said.
The candidate forum is scheduled for Oct. 15. And Brouwer said he’ll be keeping an eye out for new Board of Fish and Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission appointments after a new governor takes office next year.
