EP 94 Captain Casey Coupchiak "Waqaa!"

Galley Stories®

Waqaa! My name is Casey Coupchiak, my Yup’ik name is Ernerculria. It was given to me by my grandma, Mary Coupchiak. I am the daughter of Norman Coupchiak and Greta Horn. Granddaughter of William “Willie” and Mary Coupchiak on my father’s side. Ed Glotfelty and Mary Hanson on my mother’s. My family has been fishing Bristol Bay for millennia and I am lucky enough to have inherited my Grandfather, Willie’s commercial drift permit. I have been fishing it since I was 18 and couldn’t imagine spending my summers anywhere else than on a drift boat in Bristol Bay! I recently moved back to Alaska to get more involved in Alaska’s fisheries, work towards co-management of our fisheries with Indigenous peoples, and finish a BBA in Marketing from the University of Alaska - Anchorage. When I’m not fishing, I direct market a small amount of my catch. I love to snowboard, hike, mountain bike, and anything outdoors. Quyana Mark for having me and listeners for listening!