Collection of oral history interviews of commercial fishermen in Seattle conducted by Jeffrey Kahrs, as part of a 4Culture funded project. The collection consists of 21 interviews: Bryan Benkman, Gary Coles, David (Guy) and Allison Demmert, Lonnie E. Demmert, Jr., Steven L. Demmert, Mark Dobsinzky, Gunnar Gudjonssen, L.W. (Champagne Al) Hoviland, Bert Isaksen, Gary Isaksen, Phillip D. Jacobsen, Mark Joel Johansen, Hollis Jennings, Joshua Kaberon, Jonah Knutson, Peter R. Knutson, Ryan Sven and Britni Sheri Lundin, Svein Nyhammer, Stein Eric Nyhammer, Per Odegaard, and Jan B. Standaert.
The master recordings consist of digital audio and video recordings. Many interviews have both video and audio recordings; in some of these cases, one or the other recording is more complete.
View selections from the collection in
Digital copies of all the interviews are available. Transcripts of all the interviews are available except as noted in the inventory below.
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Commercial Fishermen Oral History Project, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Gift of Jeffrey Kahrs, received in April 2018.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Interview with commercial fisherman Bryan Benkman about his life and career fishing along the West Coast and in Southeast Alaska.
Interview with commercial fisherman Gary A. Coles about his life and career seine fishing along the West Coast and in Alaska.
Interview with commercial fisherman David (Guy) and Allison Demmert about their careers fishing along the West Coast and in Southeast Alaska. Guy Demmert is a seine captain and Allison Demmert is a deckhand. Conversations include women skippering boats and fishing with family.
Interview with commercial fisherman Lonnie Demmert about his career seine fishing along the West Coast and in Southeast Alaska.
Interview with commercial fisherman Steve Demmert about his career as a seine fisherman along the West Coast and in Southeast Alaska.
Interview with commercial fisherman Mark Dobszinsky about his life and career seine fishing along the West Coast and in Southeast Alaska.
Interview with Icelandic American commercial fisherman Gunnar Gudjonssen about his life and career fishing along the West Coast and in Southeast Alaska.
Transcript available for first four digital files of first interview only.
Interview with commercial fisherman L.W. "Champagne Al" Hoviland about his life and career as a longline deckhand and captain in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington.
Interview with commercial fisherman Bert Isaksen about his life and career as a longline deckhand and captain and Alaskan crab deckhand, captain, and boat owner in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
Interview with commercial fisherman Gary Iksaksen about his career as a Bristol Bay Fisherman and model boat builder. His wife Heidi also participates in the interview.
Interview with commercial fisherman Phil Jacobsen about his life and career as a longline fisherman in Alaska and Washington.
Interview with commercial fisherman Mark Johansen about his life and career as a gillnet fisherman in Southeast Alaska.
Transcript available for first two parts of interview only.
Interview with commercial fisherman Hollis Jennings about her life and career as a seine captain in Southeast Alaska, and what is like on a boat as a woman.
Interview with commercial fisherman Joshua (Josh) Kaberon about his life and career as a seine crewman in Southeast Alaska and False Pass.
Interview with commercial fisherman Jonah Knutson about his life and career as a gillnet fisherman in Southeast Alaska and a deckhand in Bristol Bay.
Interview with commercial fisherman Peter R. Knutson about his life and career as a fisherman in Southeast Alaska.
Interview with commercial fishermen Ryan Sven and Britni Sheri Lundin about their careers as deckhands in Southeast Alaska and being married and working on a boat together.
Interview with commercial fishermen Svein Nyhammer about his life and career as a halibut and crab fisherman in Southeast Alaska and Bristol Bay.
Interview with commercial fisherman Stein Eric Nyhammer about his career as an Alaskan crab captain, scalloper, and halibut fisherman.
Interview with commercial fisherman Per Odegaard about his life and career as a longline captain in Alaska and Washington.
Interview with commercial fisherman Jan B. Standaert about his life and career as a seine crewman and longline captain in Alaska.