Commercial fisherman Timothy R. Maricich was born to fish. His grandfather, father, three brothers, wife and two sons have all fished commercially. Sadly, rather than follow in their father’s footsteps, his two sons ultimately chose other, more promising careers, but still the Maricich fishing legacy lives on.
Originally from Washington State, Captain Maricich began fishing commercially in 1968, purse seining salmon in Alaska. In 1995, he acquired the 58-foot F/V Donna Kathleen, a Little Hoquiam boat. With the Donna Kathleen, he continued to seine in Alaska for a number of years before relocating his business to Moss Landing. In Moss Landing, Captain Maricich uses the Donna Kathleen to fish with traps for spot prawns.
Commercial fishing is Captain Maricich’s family heritage. A commercial fisherman is who he is, not just what he does. His favorite thing about commercial fishing is the independent lifestyle it affords; his least favorite is fishing in bad weather.
In 1976, Captain Maricich earned a degree in biology from Seattle University. Today, he combines his heritage, his experience and his education, working on collaborative research programs with the the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the California Department of Fish and Game and other agencies.
If you’re in Moss Landing, look for Captain Maricich and the Donna Kathleen on “B” Dock – and if you’re lucky, you might find some of his fresh spot prawns on the menu at Phil’s Fish Market over on the island.
Video: “Fishing on the Donna Kathleen” - Captain Maricich and his crew trapping prawns on Monterey Bay
In the News: “Shadowing fishermen's nets with a robot sub: New research sheds light on life at 90 fathoms,”Matt Jenkins, High Country News, July 05, 2010.
Many thanks to Lori French, the original founder of Faces, for her previous work and continued efforts.
Funds for The Faces of California Fishing were provided by a grant from
Central California Joint Cable/Fisheries Liaison Committee.
Content copyright 2012. Alliance of Communities for Sustainable Fisheries. All rights reserved.
