Wes Erikson
4TH GENERATION FISHERMAN
Home Port: Comox, BC | Vessel Name: Ocean Quest
“The resource is strong and healthy, and the science is good so the future of the wild Pacific halibut fishery is absolutely positive.”
1. When and how did you start fishing?
I started fishing full-time in the summers when I was six and then skippered my first boat when I was 16.
2. Where do you usually fish?
Off the coast of Haida Gwaii.
3. What is the best thing about fishing?
I love the feeling of knowing exactly what I am doing all the time throughout each fishing trip because I have just done it for so long. And there is nothing better than coming home with a boat full of fish and having worked so hard that you fall asleep before your head even hits the pillow.
4. What is your most memorable fishing experience?
Just before my 18th birthday I was on the boat heading from Port Hardy, where the fishing hadn’t been great, to Haida Gwaii where we thought it would be better. We headed straight into gale force winds and we got completely beat up. A huge wave had crashed over the deck of our boat and cleared everything off it. A call with my dad gave us the advice we needed to increase our stability and make it through. We arrived at port 24 hours later with windows smashed by cables and 5 tonnes of ice completely melted by the water that we’d taken onboard. It was at that moment when I completely understood just how dangerous commercial fishing could be. We are lucky today to have a much longer fishing season than in those earlier days so that we can make those decisions about when and where to fish to ensure the safety of our crew.
5. What do you believe everyone should know about wild Pacific halibut and the fishery?
The wild Pacific halibut fishery is fully monitored and audited, and the amount harvested in the commercial fishery – halibut and other species within the integrated management plan – has actually been below the annual total allowable catch since the early 2000s.
6. What do you believe are the most important issues facing the wild Pacific halibut industry today?
We need to really focus on succession planning and attracting younger people to come on-board so that our fishery can continue effectively into the future. I’m proud and grateful to have my son, Kyle who is in his 20s, carry on in the industry as a fifth generation fisherman.
7. How would you describe the future of the wild Pacific halibut fishery?
The resource is strong and healthy, and the science is good so the future of the wild Pacific halibut fishery is absolutely positive. We just need to attract young fishermen for the future.
8. What three words best describe the wild Pacific halibut fishery today?
Accountable
Responsible
Sustainable
1. What was your first job?
Salmon fishing, helping in our family’s wooden boat building business and also working on a dairy farm milking cows and cleaning out the barns.
2. What is your favourite thing to do when you’re not fishing?
Harvesting wild mushrooms and kayak fishing for crab to cook with my 12 year old son.
3. What is your favourite meal to eat on the boat when fishing?
Wild Pacific halibut cheeks with mushroom sauce over pasta.
4. What is your favourite wild Pacific halibut dish?
Panko crusted wild Pacific halibut with fresh basil pesto (Wes has shared his recipe. Check it out!)
5. What is your favourite movie or TV show of all time?
The Expanse.
6. What is your favourite song or who is your favourite artist?
Queen, which we always listen to on the boat!
7. What is one thing that most people don’t know about you and may surprise them?
I owned and operated Japanese restaurants for several years on Vancouver Island located in Courtenay, Qualicum Beach and Mt. Washington.
8. What skill or craft would you like to master?
Welding.
9. Who is your hero and why?
My mother and father who taught me how to work hard and the value of having a home with an open door policy where everyone is welcome and a cup of coffee and a meal are always available.
This project is supported by the BC Government Buy BC Partnership Program: delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC with funding from the Government of British Columbia.
The Government of British Columbia is committed to working with industry partners. Opinions expressed in this document are those of [the authors] and not necessarily those of the Government of British Columbia or the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.