F/V Fish Tale

Kodiak, Alaska

Wild Alaska Rockfish, Wild Alaska Pacific Cod, Wild Alaska Halibut

The Carpenter Family purchased the F/V Fish Tale over twenty years ago, becoming owner-operators of their own fishing vessel and stepping away from high volume, industrialized fishing as crew. They were looking to build a sustainable, small scale fishing business with their children that was mindful of the environment and its resources. A business they could share and build together as a family, and not be apart for long stretches of the year.

As the years passed the Carpenter kids have grown and so has the family fishing business. The children have become partners and continue to fish with Len and Anita. And while many changes have taken place in the seafood industry, unfortunately, some things have remained constant–low prices paid to fishermen and low quality seafood, often associated with high volume deliveries remain the norm in most coastal Alaska communities.

To push back against this and remain small-scale fishermen doing more with less, the Carpenters began direct-marketing their catch. Along the way, they met Nic and Marsh and became part of the Sitka Seafood Market family as fisherman-owners. They are extremely grateful to be part of their vision and the company. For the Carpenters, being able to connect with customers and provide the best quality seafood possible is amazing and incredibly rewarding.

What do you love about fishing?

The freedom that comes with being our own boss, working together as a family and the incredible beauty we get to enjoy everyday while we are out on the water.

What do you do in the off-season, when you’re not fishing?

We enjoy working around the house, gardening and cooking. We also spend a lot of time working on and maintaining our vessel. Improving our operation to increase efficiency and most importantly the quality of the seafood we harvest.

What’s your favorite seafood dish?

A hearty fish soup. Cod, rockfish or salmon. Served up with freshly baked bread, it can’t be beat on a chilly, wet day.

What’s one thing you’d want to say to our members?

Thank you for supporting small scale fishermen like us. It is very rewarding to know our customers love our seafood, and trust our quality and commitment to be good stewards of the resource we depend on.

Why do you like fishing for Sitka Seafood Market?

It’s great to be part of a company that's reshaping the seafood supply chain and delivering the best seafood available to their customers. Sitka Seafood Market appreciates and respects the hard work and love we have for fishing and the quality we strive for.

What’s something that most people would find surprising about being a commercial fisherman?

That it can be incredibly boring. Long runs to and from the grounds, waiting for the weather to break or the fish to bite, commercial fishing requires patience. The good thing is there's a lot of time to think and reflect, read a book or rest.