Alaska Sea Grant at ComFish

By Alaska Sea Grant | May 5, 2026
A woman in a black top and pants and orange Alaska Sea Grant hat dock speaks into a microphone. Several people are gathered behind her watching.
Julie Matweyou, the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent for Kodiak, kicks off the Fishermen’s Showcase. Photo by Pax Templeton/Alaska Sea Grant.
A man kneels on a dock and tightly rolls a red “Gumby” survival suit.
A local fisherman rolls up his survival suit in the skills competition. Photo by Pax Templeton/Alaska Sea Grant.
A man stands on a dock and throws a blue coil of rope over the side.
A Kodiak fisherman takes part in the hook throwing segment of the skills competition. Photo by Pax Templeton/Alaska Sea Grant.
Seven women pose behind a table with a blue tablecloth, two food warmers, paper plates and containers. Several wear sanitary gloves and they’re preparing to serve food.
Members of the Association of Latin Women in Alaska serve cod tacos at Kodiak Island Brewery. Fish Taco Night at ComFish is sponsored by the Alaska Marine Community Coalition (AMCC) with support from Alaska Sea Grant, local fishermen and industry. Photo by Marc Solano/Alaska Sea Grant.
A man lies on his back on a dock. He’s flipping over an inflatable life raft to rest face-up on the dock.
Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) instructor Arthur Schultz flips over an inflatable life raft as part of a demonstration during the Fishermen’s Showcase. Photo by Julie Matweyou/Alaska Sea Grant.
Two men stand over a rope and tie orange floats to it with blue rope.
Kodiak fishermen compete in the rail tying segment of the skills competition. Photo by Julie Matweyou/Alaska Sea Grant.
A bright orange float sits on a dock.
Alaska Sea Grant purchased new A-3 round buoys for this year’s Fisherman’s Showcase, supporting the showcase’s transition to a fully community-organized event. Photo by Julie Matweyou/Alaska Sea Grant.
A man in a red “Gumby” survival suit stands on a dock. A second man adjusts the face flap of the suit.
Event volunteer Nick Mangini helps a local contestant adjust his survival suit during the skills competition. Photo by Pax Templeton/Alaska Sea Grant.
A man on a dock dressed in a red survival suit tries to manipulate the zipper on the suit. A man on his left and a woman on his right stand ready to assist.
Fishermen’s Showcase emcee (and Kodiak Mayor) Terry Haines dons a survival suit with the help of Alaska Sea Grant fisheries workforce specialist John Williams and Kodiak fisherman Theresa Peterson, a member of the Alaska Sea Grant Advisory Committee. Photo by Julie Matweyou/Alaska Sea Grant.

Kodiak fishermen brought their A-game to the city harbor last month for a timed skills competition. 

A dozen local fishers took part in the friendly contest, organized by Alaska Sea Grant as part of the annual ComFish Alaska trade show. They competed in timed heats covering five skill categories—coiling, knot tying, hook throwing, rail tying and donning survival suits. The competition was part of the Fishermen’s Showcase and Reception, hosted by Alaska Sea Grant with support from Kodiak fishermen and Nautical Marine AK. 

Alaska Sea Grant also contributed in other ways to this year’s ComFish, held April 16–18 at the Kodiak Marketplace. Marine Advisory Program agent Julie Matweyou, a member of the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce fisheries subcommittee, assisted with scheduling and planning. Alaska Sea Grant maintained a booth throughout the event, as did the Alaska Sea Grant-supported Alaska Clean Harbors program. Alaska Sea Grant also co-sponsored the popular Fish Taco Night, at which members of the Association of Latin Women in Alaska prepared and served locally caught and processed cod tacos at the Kodiak Island Brewery.

Posted in commercial fishing, news, recreation and tagged , , , , ,