Did you know that partners of commercial fishermen are an unseen, yet critical part of the seafood industry? They play invaluable roles in supporting their fishermen partners, and thereby the industry itself, yet are generally unrecognized and unpaid for this labor.
In this episode of The Conch podcast, we learn how one woman created a community of support for Partners of Commercial Fishermen to share experiences, valuable advice, and overall information about seafood, all while uniting life partners of those engaged in one of the planet’s most dangerous professions - fishing.
Julie welcomes to The Conch podcast Megan Waldrep - writer, columnist, and partner of a commercial fisherman.
Episode Guide
:00 Intro
02:19 When Megan started dating a commercial fisherman, she felt alone and isolated. To make sense of the fishing way of life and find others in her situation, she threw a Hail Mary.
5:30 That Hail Mary? A blog post about dating a commercial fisherman, which led her to create and foster a supportive community: Partners of Commercial Fishermen (POCF)
8:15 How to maximize your serendipity potential: Easing into the return of your fisherman partner from an extended absence
13:57 Whether you’re a fish farmer or a fisherman, Megan is here to support fishing families and their communities
17:31 A recap of challenges facing commercial fishermen
20:28 Megan’s coincidental link to a former guest on The Conch, Monique Coombs
22:43 POCF are the invisible backbone of the seafood sector, providing generally unpaid labor to support the industry
27:26 Megan shares three critical life tips for a POCF
30:36 Uplifting and amplifying the efforts of some of The Conch podcast’s former guests, Emily De Sousa and Monique Coombs!
33:02 Partners of commercial fishermen have needs, specifically sexual needs
34:52 Another way to empower yourself: get to know your own body
37:05 How to find Megan and the POCF community online
Resources:
Learn more about Megan and the community of Partners of Commercial Fishermen on Instagram her website https://meganwaldrep.com/
Use promo code “POCF” to get 20% off the @CloneAWillyKit at https://cloneawilly.com/collections/clone-a-willy
Make sure to recommend this episode to anyone you think might care about the future of our ocean and women working in the sector.
The Conch podcast is a program of Seafood and Gender Equality (SAGE).
Audio production, engineering, editing, mixing, and sound design by Crystal Sanders-Alvarado & team at Seaworthy.
Theme music: “Dilation” by Satan's Pilgrims
Funding generously provided by