The MeatEater Podcast – Ep. 753: A Life On The Sea
Host: Steven Rinella
Guests: Heather Duville (AK Moosey), Mike aka Git Wayne (Heather’s father)
Date: August 25, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Steven Rinella sits down with returning guest Heather Duville—known online as AK Moosey—and her father, Mike (traditional name Git Wayne), in Heather’s “skiff” to reflect on a lifetime spent on the Alaskan sea. The conversation dives into the interwoven threads of commercial fishing traditions, Indigenous heritage, conservation, the decline of herring, and the creation of Heather and Mike’s upcoming MeatEater digital series, “Our Way of Life (Hakustei).”
This rich episode blends family storytelling, technical fisheries discussion, and honest reflections on the resilience and changes in Native Alaskan life, all with the humor and humility typical of the show.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Family, Boats, and Local History
- Introduction to Guests: Heather brings her father Mike, a lifelong fisherman, to join Steven in discussing Alaskan culture and their deep familial bond to fishing and the land.
- History of the House & Boats:
- Mike recounts knowing the family who originally built Steven’s place; detailed stories about old boats, including the “Isis” and fun anecdotes about how fishing boats are traditionally named after daughters.
- The practice of purchasing cabins “as is”—with all previous owners’ belongings left behind—is highlighted as peculiar to the area.
- Memorable Moment – Boat Naming Tradition:
- “It just so happened that my younger sister was Joni and my older sister was Francis... they thought I named [the boat] after them, but I didn't. And I never did tell her any different.” – Mike (25:05)
Timestamps:
- House and community history: (02:09–06:30)
- Boat stories, the “Frango”: (24:20–26:18)
2. Growing Up Fishing & Fisheries Change
- Mike’s Origins:
- Began commercial fishing at 11; received a rifle as pay ("My pay was a Mossberg .22 Magnum... $35 from Sears and Roebuck." – Mike, 12:26)
- Evolution of the Herring Kelp Fishery:
- Mike details how wild herring spawn on kelp developed into a boom-and-bust industry, where 100 tons could be harvested in just 20 minutes, but resulting overharvest and techniques “decimated” herring populations.
- “I asked a biologist, ‘why did that fishery go away?’ He said it was decimating the herring. And to this day, Heidelberg doesn't have a spawn. It literally wiped it out.” – Mike (17:27)
- Market and Regulatory Shifts:
- Discussion of the impact of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (expanding US fisheries jurisdiction), creation of Individual Fish Quotas (IFQ), and boom in US catch capability.
- Ongoing reduction in quotas and the economic and physical toll on fishermen.
Timestamps:
- Starting out as a child fisherman: (11:35–15:06)
- Herring fishery development and collapse: (15:06–21:45)
- Fishery regulations and IFQ discussion: (50:54–54:03)
3. Cultural Heritage & Revitalization
- Tlingit Clan Identity and Tattoos:
- Heather and Mike discuss their opposite clan lineages (Eagle and Raven) and decision to reclaim suppressed traditions, like clan crest tattoos, as part of broader cultural revitalization.
- Quote on repression and resilience:
- “When I was growing up, really, it wasn't okay to be Native. So I've seen a change in my lifetime…” – Mike (34:43)
- Powerful explanation of how Native cultural practices—tattooing, language, potlatch—were banned for generations, resulting in trauma and loss, but today there is new pride and restoration efforts among youth.
- Totem Poles & Smokehouses:
- Loss of totem poles, smokehouses, and other traditional structures through historic logging and government “cleanups”; importance of subsistence and the visible remnants of ancient mariculture (e.g., clam gardens, canoe haul-outs, fish traps).
- Language Loss and Renewal:
- While fluency in traditional Tlingit language was interrupted, Heather and her family are committed to learning and teaching words, and language classes are available locally and via University of Alaska.
Timestamps:
- Tattoo heritage and cultural suppression: (29:41–35:58)
- Totem poles, smokehouses, and mariculture: (36:26–43:23)
- Language loss and teaching: (74:04–75:17)
4. Traditional Ecological Knowledge
- Fisheries and Local Wisdom:
- Techniques for testing shellfish safety (rubbing clam on lips); knowledge of shellfish “hotness” vs. governmental testing; sea otter behavior as ecological indicators.
- Environmental Change Observed First-Hand:
- Dramatic decrease in clams and sea stars due to environmental and disease impacts; changing salmon and herring runs.
- Family tradition of marking locations and abundance to track change over time.
- Memorable Moment – On the Decline of Herring:
- “You can’t have unlimited effort on a limited resource.” – Mike (55:15)
- Perspective on resource allocation conflict between commercial, sport, and other user groups, with evidence that recreational harvest now often surpasses commercial.
Timestamps:
- Traditional shellfish safety: (43:23–46:45)
- Sea stars, sea otters, ecological shifts: (46:45–50:05, 80:00–81:08)
- Resource allocation and recreational vs. commercial catch: (58:14–61:09)
5. Making the New Show: “Our Way of Life (Hakustei)”
- Upcoming MeatEater Series:
- Heather and Mike share details about their new show, which will chronicle sea otter hunting, herring egg harvest, seal hunting and rendering, and elaborately preserved fish—all through a lens of Indigenous stewardship and family.
- Quote:
- “This show is an opportunity to just get a kind of like a peek in through that window of our view... each tribe and each individual within their own community deserves to be uplifted and celebrated in their own right.” – Heather (64:53)
- Behind the Scenes Stories:
- The humor of filming with the team, naming conventions (calling a cameraman “Fat Ass”), dad’s tendency to “just be the driver,” and the joy of, for the first time, spending the summer together as a family uninterrupted by the demands of commercial fishing.
Timestamps:
- Show discussion, list of episode themes: (64:44–68:21)
- Family reflections, filming stories: (68:21–77:19)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On commercial fishing beginnings:
- “My pay was a Mossberg .22 Magnum that cost $35 from Sears and Roebuck.” – Mike (12:26)
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On the collapse of herring fisheries:
- “It took 20 minutes to harvest a hundred tons. Geez.” – Mike (16:21)
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On suppressed Native culture:
- “There was 30 or 40 years where probably not many poles were carved at all. It just made a mess out of the culture, really.” – Mike (34:43)
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On unlimited exploitation:
- “You can't have unlimited effort on a limited resource, and that's what we're seeing with that group.” – Mike (55:15)
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On family boats and naming traditions:
- “So I'm telling everyone...he had a different name picked out, but then he heard I was so excited, they named it after me. And I didn't find out till like 15 years later that he had a different name, that you were his second choice.” – Heather (26:09)
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On the pride in cultural and generational transmission:
- “The reason why I'm able to do all this stuff and know the things that I know is because my dad...he was able to still learn about our culture and practice that even through all those attempts to make us not anymore.” – Heather (68:36)
Episode Flow & Structure
- Opening stories about place, boats, and Alaskan fishing families.
- Deep dive into fisheries history and evolving regulations, including ecological impacts.
- Personal and cultural histories: the legacy of suppression and current revitalization.
- Detailed, practical discussions of traditional food harvest, ecosystem impacts, and family ethos.
- Preview and philosophy behind the new show—an affirmation of Indigenous knowledge, resilience, and humor.
Where to Watch “Our Way of Life (Hakustei)”
- Premieres September 29th on the MeatEater YouTube channel and Outdoor Channel at 8:00 PM.
- The series will cover sea otter hunting, herring spawn harvesting, seal processing, traditional fishing techniques, and coho egg fermentation, with a focus on cultural continuity and celebration.
Closing Thoughts
This episode stands out as an homage to enduring knowledge, family legacy, and the resilience of Indigenous identity in changing times. With stories both humorous and profound, Steven, Heather, and Mike blend technical insight with humanity to share not just “a life on the sea,” but the living history of culture, resourcefulness, and community.