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FRANK BALOVICH F/V CAROLE D
Commercial fishing has been a part of Frank Balovich's life since he was 5 and he has the photo on board as a reminder of where he's come from and what he inherited from his dad. When his father died, Frank took on his father's fishing business and soon learned how different it was to be a captain rather than crew. But with his hard working deckhands, Erik Jameson and Waylon Evans, and the Monk design 48-foot steel Carole D underneath them, they've done well fishing for halibut, black cod, salmon and tanner crab. 

Balovich loves the adventurous life on the ocean. He's constantly awed by the scenery, which is always different. And he's always learning something, especially that you can't take anything for granted, and "that you have to put your time into it, to understand what it's all about - things change so much." Frank is concerned about threats to the biomass and wants to make sure that if he haves has children there will be something to pass on to them. 

One way Balovich contributes to this legacy is being careful at the roller. When hauling a longline set, Frank carefully releases small and unmarketable fish. Balovich and his crew handle the undersized fish as little as possible to enhance survival. They make shorter 3-day trips and don't overload the boat. The fish are well-cleaned and iced. 

Frank Balovich is in this for the long-haul, keeping a family tradition alive. For him, protecting the resources just makes good sense. 

Profile by Mim McConnell