Partners of Commercial Fishermen

Grants 101: How to Best Prepare to Receive Funding for your Fishery w Ava Schulenberg

She's back, and we're thrilled! Ava Schulenberg is based in Santa Barbara, CA, and is a female fisherman and leader in several fishing organizations. You may remember Ava from episode 96, where she goes into detail on how to advocate for your fishery and gives tips to help get your public comments heard.
In this episode, Ava shares:
How she secured funding for a clean-up initiative for CA spiny lobster fishermen.
The critical piece she included in the grant that she believes helped her gain priority over other entrants (there were many!).
 The course she took to learn how to write a grant effectively. 
As a side note, here’s a quick list of the many hats she wears:
 • Executive Director  of the California Lobster & Trap Fishermen's Association • Assistant Director of the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara (CFSB) • Manager  of  the Saturday Fishermen's Market of Santa Barbara • Laboratory Assistant II at CA Sea Grant • Deckhand with a variety of boats • Stewardess with yachting company, Santa Barbara Captains SB Captains.
Let's Dive In!Show Resources:
Contact Ava Schulenberg via email at: ava@cfsb.info
Harvard Kennedy School Grant Writing Course: https://ondemand.catalyst.harvard.edu/products/Techniques-to-Writing-a-Competitive-Grant
Virginia Institue of Marine Science: https://www.vims.edu/
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
>   [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's happening in other fisheries and how they handle it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!
 
Check out all of our offers here!

How Maine and California Fishing Families Can Secure Loans with California FarmLink and Coastal Enterprises, Inc.

California and Maine Fishermen and Partners, listen up! We know how challenging it can be to find financial support for your fishing business. Commercial fishing is expensive, and banks often don't give us a second look.  
However, there is a way to find loans that can support you, and today’s guests will explain more. In today's episode:
Meet Noah Strouse, the Senior Loan Officer & Strategic Initiatives Manager at California FarmLink, and Hugh Cowperthwaite, the Senior Program Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture at Coastal Enterprises, Inc., better known as CEI, located in Maine.
Learn how to get loans to help you enhance your boat, buy permits, buy a fishing boat and gear, your family's seafood business, and more.
Learn about the education resources and courses they have to help you make the most of your investment. 
This applies to captains, deckhands, and partners of commercial fishermen, too!
Let's Dive In!
Show Resources:
California FarmLink: www.californiafarmlink.org. 
Call Noah Strouse at (831) 271-5074
Coastal Enterprises, Inc. in Maine: https://www.ceimaine.org/
Call Hugh Cowperthwaite at (207) 292-1102
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
>   [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's happening in other fisheries and how they handle it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!
Check out all of our offers here!
 

Gaslighting: 8 Signs and How To Respond

Gaslighting is a form of manipulation that makes you doubt your perceptions, memories, or reality. It goes to say that dealing with a Gaslighter can be incredibly frustrating and emotionally draining. 
In this episode, I share:
- A real example of a fisherman and a POCF in our community.
- Common gaslighting phrases and what to look out for.
- Ways to handle a conversation with a gaslighter and how to protect your mental and emotional well-being.
Let's Dive In!
 
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
>   [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's happening in other fisheries and how they handle it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!
Check out all of our offers here!

8 Ways to Advocate for Yourself Effectively in Relationships (Fisherman, Family, or Friends!)

We’ve recently talked a lot about advocacy in fishing recently, yet advocacy also extends to your relationships. Advocating for yourself in a relationship means clearly expressing your needs, boundaries, and desires while maintaining mutual respect and understanding. You deserve this always!
Because commercial fishing can feel so overwhelming for fishermen, partners, and families, feeling like you’re not a priority is a common challenge in our community. Some topics we address in this episode are:
Real examples from our POCF private community.
How to communicate your feelings easily.
How to communicate your feelings easily if a person is not receptive or does not follow through.
The solutions we discuss can be helpful for friend and family relationships, too.
Let’s Dive In!
 
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
>   [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's happening in other fisheries and how they handle it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!
 
Check out all of our offers here!

Advocacy 101: Clear Breakdown of How To Create Positive Change in Your Fishery with Female Fisherman Ava Schulenberg

Ava Schulenberg is a female fisherman and leader in many important roles in Santa Barbara, California, fisheries. She also works from Santa Barbara to San Diego for the CA Lobster Association due to the geographical span of the fishery. She, along with her colleagues, has SoCal on lock!
Here’s a quick list of the many hats she wears:
Executive Director  of the California Lobster & Trap Fishermen's Association
Assistant Director of the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara (CFSB)
Manager  of  the Saturday Fishermen's Market of Santa Barbara
Laboratory Assistant II at CA Sea Grant
Deckhand with a variety of boats
Stewardess with yachting company, Santa Barbara Captains SB Captains.
Homegirl knows what she’s talking about and has been incredibly active in advocating for Santa Barbara fisheries. She is a treasure trove of information on how to do it effectively on the local, state, and national levels. 
In this episode, we discuss: 
How to make effective Public Comments
How to best connect with local and federal agencies to advocate for fisheries. 
Ava's experience as a Female Fisherman and more! 
As you continue on your journey of advocacy or are thinking about getting more involved, I hope this interview is helpful and informative and inspires you in ways to do what you are called to do. Let’s Dive in!
 
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
>   [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's happening in other fisheries and how they handle it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun? Click here to learn more about the private chat!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
Check out all of our offers here!

Free PFDs for Oregon Fishermen + How You Can Do This For Your Community with Prof. Laurel Kincl of Oregon State University

This month's theme is “Bringing the Feminine into Fishing,” which is also a theme of Advocacy. I feel the themes complement each other so much because, since the beginning of our economic civilization, POCFs have been instrumental in keeping the industry going and protecting our fisheries, fishermen, and fishing families. And, the people at Oregon State University understand this on a deep level, and here’s how. 
 
Our interview today is with Laurel Kincl, a professor at the College of Health at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. 
In this episode, you’ll hear Laurel’s passion for what she does and how other industry supporters come together to support our commercial fishermen. Laurel’s partnered with many, including Englund Marine, various Oregon fishermen's wives’ groups, PFD manufacturers, AMSEA in Sitka, AK, and other collaborations to build a program to distribute free lifejackets to Oregon fishermen! 
You also may be inspired by their efforts to bring a program like this into your fishing community. 
I love learning about projects and programs out there whose goal is to help our fishing communities. There are more than we know, and learning about what they do shows that we are not alone. 
Let’s Dive In!
Show Resources:
flippresources.org
Englund Marine - Oregon Fishermen, mention the “FLIPP for Lifejackets” program to receive a free lifejacket. 
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
>   [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's going on in other fisheries and how they are handling it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!
 
Check out all of our offers here!

POCF and Writer Maressa Voss on Publishing Her First Novel While Balancing Motherhood, Advocacy, and Marriage to a Commercial Fisherman.

Maressa Voss is a writer, the partner of a commercial fisherman, and a mother living in Santa Barbara, CA. Beyond our shared passion for writing, we have another unique connection—her husband, James, is my husband’s cousin!
Through marriage, both Maressa and I have been immersed in the culture of this unique industry—one that has been woven into our families for generations.
As a side note, Our theme this month is “Bringing the Feminine into Fishing,” which is a HUGE part of Advocacy. I feel the themes complement each other so much because, since the beginning of our economic civilization, POCFs have been instrumental in keeping the industry going and protecting our fisheries, fishermen, and fishing families. Shout out to POCFs everywhere!
In this episode, we explore Maressa’s journey, including how she carved out her identity as a writer and author while balancing motherhood, life as a commercial fisherman’s wife, and advocating for the California spiny lobster fishery.
Let’s dive in!
Show Resources:
Maressa’s Interview on POCFPride.com in April 2020! 
IG: @maressakate 
Bluesky: @maressakate.bsky.social
www.maressavoss.com
 
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
>  [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's happening in other fisheries and how they handle it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!
 
Check out all of our offers here!

10 Tips for Advocacy, Public Speaking, and/or Conversations with Friends and Family About Commercial Fishing

Since the beginning of our economic civilization, POCFs have been instrumental in keeping the industry going and protecting our fisheries, fishermen, and fishing families. (Mic drop!) 
For that reason, I’m sharing 10 tips that may help you next time you:
Speak to an audience to advocate for your fishery.
Chat with friends and family outside of the industry
Interact with customers who are purchasing from your direct-to-consumer seafood business
Share on social media. 
Let’s Dive In!
Show Resources: 
Canva.com - graphic design made easy for presentations, logos, social media, website landing pages, and more!
EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR POCFS!
> Consider this your home port: pocfpride.com
> Hang with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
>   [Join our Group Chat!] If you're seeking to connect with people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's going on in other fisheries and how they are handling it, we've got you! Our group chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!
Check out all of our offers here!

Pt 2: Bootstrapping a Direct-to-Consumer Fishing Business to Support Her Family and Community with Ashely Vellis of Ashley's Seafood in Humbolt Bay, California.

In Part 2, we continue our conversation with Ashely Veliss, Wife of a Commercial Fisherman, mom, and owner of Ashley's Seafood out of Humboldt Bay in Eureka, California.
In this episode, we talk about:
How she finds personal support in this lifestyle and shouts out to experienced Partners in her community
The Humbolt Wives Fishermen’s Group and the specific ways they serve their members and community.
Ways she’s working on getting a cold storage facility built in her town. MAJOR accomplishments for anyone, especially a POCF who started her business to bring in more income for her family and learned how to fillet a fish via YouTube. The power of a Partner of a Commercial Fisherman knows no bounds!
I love that Ashely belongs to a Fishermen’s Wives group but joined the POCF private chat to connect with partners in other ports to see what they struggle with or don’t struggle with and hear how they overcome their challenges in the industry. 
It goes to show that we continually grow and expand when we are in connection with each other.
Let's Dive In!
 
Show Resources
Connect with Ashley:
Instagram: @ashleysseafood
Website: ashleysseafood.com
Book Recommendation: Salt In Our Blood: The Memoir of a Fisherman's Wife by Michele Longo Eder
 
Hey, POCFs - Let's Connect!
> [Hang] with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
> [Chat] If you're seeking real-time support from people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's going on in other fisheries and how they are handling it, we got you! Our lively group text chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!

Pt 1: Bootstrapping a Direct-to-Consumer Fishing Business to Support Her Family and Community with Ashely Vellis of Ashley's Seafood in Humbolt Bay, California.

Ashely Veliss is the Wife of a Commercial Fisherman, mom, and Owner of Ashley's Seafood out of Humboldt Bay in Eureka, California.
I love that Ashely belongs to a Fishermen’s Wives group but joined the POCF private chat to connect with partners in other ports to see what they struggle with or don’t struggle with and hear how they overcome challenges in the industry. 
In this episode, we learn:
How Ashley went from learning how to fillet fish on YouTube to starting a direct-to-consumer fishing business at the farmers market to now learning how to create shelf-sustaining seafood and becoming a pillar in her community for advocacy.
Connecting with customers (even tough conversations) by steering conversations toward aspects of her sustainable fishery. (She is a great example from which we can all learn.)
How she supports other fishermen and fishing families all while being a Partner of a Commercial Fisherman and mom, too! 
Let’s Dive In!
Show Resources
Connect with Ashley: 
Instagram: @ashleysseafood
Website: ashleysseafood.com
Book Recommendation: Salt In Our Blood: The Memoir of a Fisherman's Wife by Michele Longo Eder
Hey, POCFs - Let's Connect!
> [Hang] with Megan on IG at @megan.waldrep
> [Chat] If you're seeking real-time support from people who understand what you're going through OR are curious about what's going on in other fisheries and how they are handling it, we got you! Our lively group text chat allows you to connect immediately and anytime you need us. Sound fun?  Click here to learn more about the private chat!