Linda Greenlaw is not unlike a shark: powerful, confident, constantly on the move and hunting for fish. She’s always got several lines in the water, whether it’s book deals, television shows or literally longlines off the swordfish and tuna vessel she skippers during Maine’s temperate summers. When Sebastian Junger’s book “The Perfect Storm” was published in 1991, and when the motion picture starring George Clooney was released nine years later, the world got to know Greenlaw as the firecracker (played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in the movie) at the helm of the f/v Hannah Boden. When I reeled in Greenlaw for an interview in early April, her girl was fishing for Atlantic red crabs off the coast of Massachusetts. Next month, Greenlaw will grab the wheel once more.
Greenlaw’s life is fish and it always has been. She’s fished commercially since she was 19 years old and still abounds with youthful energy and enthusiasm at 51 (maybe it’s all that salty air). At the International Boston Seafood Show in March, she was touting her Linda Greenlaw Select line of U.S. and Canadian sword and tuna distributed by Great Oceans in Jericho, N.Y. All of that fish is harvested with environmentally friendly methods, something she’ll be teaching to Kenyan fishermen in a unique opportunity this fall. Sharks never stop moving.
How much time do you spend at sea and what are you fishing for most?
I’m really looking forward to the bluefin tuna season. I’ll start as soon as my boat goes in the water, hopefully fishing by June 1. And I’ll fish for about five months. That’s the bulk of my commercial fishing right now. I’m also working as a consultant with a company that’s based in Dubai (Solas Marine), training fishermen in Kenya. It’s very cool and I’m really psyched to be doing it. I’ve been doing this (fishing) for what, 30 years, and finally something I know is worth money to someone! I’m a consultant? Who knew that would happen?
Click here to read the interview in its entirety, which ran in the May issue of SeaFood Business >
