NOTES FROM ALEX

FROM THE FLIGHT DECK

“From the processing plant to the flight deck, a personal reflection on family, commercial fishing, aviation, and the community that always looks after its own.”

There are some communities where you don’t have to explain what it means to look out for one another. You grow up understanding it. It’s simply part of who you are, where you come from, and how you live.

For me, that community is the commercial fishing community of Southeast Alaska.

I come from a family deeply rooted in the fishing industry. For many years, my family operated our own fish packing company here, and much of my extended family, both men and women, have spent their lives working in commercial fishing. It’s an industry that runs through our family history, woven into the stories, traditions, hard work, and livelihoods of generations.

Growing up in a fishing community, you quickly learn that fishing isn’t just an occupation. It’s a way of life.

I spent several years working in the fish processing industry myself, working at the processing plant and seeing firsthand what it takes to keep the operation moving. Long hours, demanding work, unpredictable seasons, and people who understand that when the fish are running, the work doesn’t stop simply because you’re tired.

It’s a world that requires commitment, determination, and a tremendous amount of teamwork.

Eventually, however, my own journey took a different direction. I found my way into aviation.

Although I didn’t become a commercial fisherman, I discovered that aviation gave me another opportunity to remain connected to the industry and the people I had grown up around.

And looking back, I can honestly say that some of my most rewarding experiences in aviation came from supporting the very community I came from.

A Different View of the Fishing Industry

Over the years, I had the opportunity to fly numerous charters supporting commercial fishing operations throughout Southeast Alaska.

Sometimes that meant moving cargo and essential supplies out to fishing boats working in remote locations. Other times, it meant flying fish-spotting missions, helping locate schools of fish and supporting the efforts of fishermen on the water.

There were also times when the work became much more serious.

I participated in air ambulance and medical evacuation missions, helping transport people who needed medical attention. I also had opportunities to assist with search and rescue efforts when boats lost communication or couldn’t be reached for a period of time.

Those are moments that stay with you.

When you’re flying over Southeast Alaska, looking down at those countless islands, channels, and stretches of open water, you develop an appreciation for just how vast and unforgiving this part of the world can be.

Weather changes quickly. Communications aren’t always reliable. Distances are considerable, and help isn’t necessarily just around the corner.

For the people working on the water, having someone available to provide assistance from the air can make a tremendous difference.

I may not have been out there hauling gear, setting nets, or working the fishing grounds, but I was able to contribute in another way.

I was part of the support system that helped keep those operations moving and, on occasion, helped bring someone home safely.

And that meant something to me.

A Community That Looks After Its Own

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that commercial fishing can be an incredibly independent business, but it is never entirely a one-person operation.

Every fisherman has their own boat, their own operation, their own responsibilities, and their own goals for the season. They’re out there working hard to make a living, supporting their families, and keeping their businesses afloat.

But underneath all that independence is something much bigger.

There is a sense of community.

Fishermen look out for other fishermen. They share information, lend a hand when someone needs it, help each other through difficult situations, and understand that circumstances on the water can change in an instant.

When something goes wrong, people pay attention.

When someone needs help, others step forward.

It doesn’t always require an announcement or a big conversation. Sometimes it’s simply understood that you do what you can for the person next to you.

That’s the culture I grew up around.

It’s something I’ve seen throughout my family’s involvement in the industry, and it’s something I carried with me when I moved into aviation.

I’ve always believed that the strongest communities aren’t necessarily the ones with the most resources. They’re the ones whose people are willing to stand beside one another when it matters most.

Different Paths, Shared Roots

When I look back at my journey, I realize that although my career eventually took me away from the processing plant and into the flight deck, I never really left the fishing community behind.

My connection simply changed.

Instead of working alongside family members at the processing plant, I was flying above the waters where so many of them made their living.

Instead of being on the dock, I was coordinating flights, moving supplies, supporting fishing operations, and occasionally helping when someone needed assistance.

It was a different perspective, but the same community.

And there is something special about being able to use your skills and experience to support the people and industry that helped shape your early life.

I have spent many years in aviation, but some of my fondest memories are connected to those flights supporting the fishing industry.

Because aviation, at its best, is about more than getting an aircraft from one place to another. It’s about connecting people, providing access, delivering essential supplies, and sometimes making a difference when circumstances are difficult.

A Few Thoughts Before We Head Back to the Flight Deck

To the men and women who make their living on the water, I have tremendous respect for what you do.

It’s not an easy life. It takes courage, sacrifice, determination, and a willingness to face the unknown every time you head out for another day on the water.

To the families who support them, the processing crews, the people working on the docks, the pilots, dispatchers, mechanics, and everyone who plays a part in keeping this industry moving, you are all part of something bigger.

We may work in different places, wear different clothes, and have different responsibilities, but we’re connected by the same community.

I suppose that’s what makes Southeast Alaska special.

We may be spread across countless islands, fishing grounds, harbors, and remote communities, but when it comes down to it, we know one another. We understand the challenges, and we know that sometimes the difference between a difficult day and a manageable one is having someone willing to lend a hand.

I didn’t become a commercial fisherman, but I am proud to have come from a fishing family, proud of the years I spent working in the processing industry, and grateful that aviation allowed me to continue serving the people and industry that have been such a big part of my life.

Different paths. Different careers. One community.

And around here, we still look out for one another.

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“You don’t have to work on the water to be part of the fishing community. Sometimes you’re on the docks, sometimes you’re in the processing plant, and sometimes you’re looking down from the flight deck. What matters is that we’re all connected, and when one of our own needs a hand, we show up.”

Until next time,

Alex Atkinson Jr.
Notes From Alex | From the Flight Deck