COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN’S FESTIVAL

ASTORIA, OR – The board of the Commercial Fishermen’s Festival unanimously approved renaming its signature competition to honor Captain Phil Harris who recently passed away February 9 following a stroke earlier this month. Captain Harris is best known for skippering the F/V Cornelia Marie on Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” hit television series. “Phil was a close and personal friend who fished alongside me on the Bering Sea for over twenty years,” says Festival Board President Rick Quashnick. “He had the bigger boat and I had the smallest – yet I could always count on him during the roughest of seas to be there if I needed him.” Captain Harris developed a strong following who loved his salty humor. “He was the kind of man who evoked a sense of being your instant best friend,” added Festival Director Ron Williams.

To honor his memory and his contribution to the commercial fishing industry the Festival is renaming its signature event to the Captain Phil Harris Highliner Competition. The competition runs contestants through a grueling series of commercial fishing related tasks that include stacking seven 100 lb. crab pots, coiling crab line, net mending, a buddy rescue using a 175 lb firefighter dummy, and concluding with slugging down a brew (rootbeer). The clock stops when he finishes the brew and is slapped by a barmaid.

“Highliners are the top fishermen in the fleet and are known to fish the toughest weather, work the longest hours and push their boats and their equipment and crew to the limit,” explains Williams.

Last year Astoria commercial fisherman Mike Giles won both the Highliner for his class and overall Highliner earning him $1000 in cash plus hundreds of dollars in prizes from Englund Marine Industrial Supply and Grundéns.

The mission of the Commercial Fishermen’s Festival is to offer fishermen and industry professionals an opportunity to bond and share information that will save lives, improve productivity, increase demand for seafood products, and promote job opportunities. The mission is also dedicated to educating the public about the fishing industry including the steps fishermen have taken to ensure a renewable resource for the future. The Festival will showcase American fisheries and the process of selecting, preparing and cooking seafood.

The Commercial Fishermen’s Festival the biggest most informative fun-filled commercial fishing celebration in the region. Here fans will meet the Captains and crews from boats featured on “Deadliest Catch,” and cheer on the men that risk their lives to bring us seafood as they compete in the grueling Captain Phil Harris Highliner Competition for the title of Highliner of the Year. Witness a search and rescue helicopter demonstration by the US Coast Guard and see historic and modern fishing equipment worth millions of dollars. Festivities include demos, industry sales, food, music, crafts, culinary stage with celebrity chefs, beer garden and a kid’s area for a fun action-packed weekend. The 2010 Commercial Fishermen’s Festival is September 18 & 19 at the Port of Astoria, Pier 1.

“We already have early commitments from celebrities including author Spike Walker, chef Graham Kerr of Galloping Gourmet fame, and “Deadliest Catch” stars Andy and Johnathan Hillstrand of the F/V Time Bandit. “We also have strong interest from the Wizard crew who are looking forward to returning to Astoria” added Williams. Williams also spoke with Captain Sig Hanson and his brother Edgar who indicated that they want to attend. The Festival is anticipating a re-match of the Tug-of-War between “Deadliest Catch” fishermen and “AxeMen” loggers from JM Browning Logging Company. For more information and to view a fan created video of the 2009 Tug-of-War visit www.CommercialFishermensFestival.com.