Sarah Fisken
Board Director
Jefferson MRC Member
Starting in the 1970s, Sarah built her career on the water—fishing on a troller in Puget Sound, working aboard a factory trawler in the Bering Sea, and spending nine seasons as one of the few women in the Southeast Alaska purse-seine fleet. Fishing in the days before survival suits and formal safety training, she quickly came to understand the life-saving importance of strong safety practices.
Today, Sarah brings that hard-earned experience to her role at Washington Sea Grant, where she coordinates U.S. Coast Guard–approved safety classes that have been widely credited with reducing fatalities at sea, particularly in tribal fisheries. She also organizes courses on marine weather, watchstanding, and first aid at sea—one of which she helped design—along with hands-on workshops in marine hydraulics, refrigeration, and small-engine repair. Beyond safety, she works with tribal and non-tribal fishermen to improve product quality and market recognition.
Each year, Sarah also co-hosts the much-loved Lark Lunch, which gathers fishermen, chefs, seafood vendors, and food writers to celebrate the Washington coast’s prized marbled king salmon.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Washington and loves bringing her passion and experience to SSA, where she is proud to support our mission of protecting and restoring the Salish Sea.