We’re Going to Fish

Posted on June 26, 2025

When three generations of Bristol Bay fisherwomen gather to talk fish and family, there is a shared pride for meaningful work and a fierce commitment to sustaining their fishing heritage revealed between words of wisdom, heartfelt interactions, and humorous memories.

In Naknek, Alaska, a family’s fishing legacy spans nearly 70 years, anchored by matriarch Betty Bonin and the family’s set net site, which she purchased from her mother to keep in the family. Betty, or Betz, as she’s known to family and friends, recounts that at the time it was a difficult decision, but ultimately, she couldn’t let it go: “We’re going to fish.” 

Her daughter, Rhonda Wayner, gets a bit emotional reflecting on that choice. “We wouldn’t be fishing if it wasn’t for my mom,” she says. Now Rhonda is trying to carry on that tradition, hoping her daughter, and Betz’ granddaughter, Harmony Wayner’s generation will continue to “honor one another through the fisheries, as long as they’re around.” 

Betz is retired now—but not really. Each season, she’s back at fish camp, running the kitchen and staying involved in the operation. “I keep busy in the summertime. It’s fun when they’re all here,” she says, referring to her family and close friends. The three chuckle about their busy lives and one of Betz’ favorite sayings at camp: “If you’re bored, I’ll give you something to do.” 

That balance of grit and laughter is part of the wisdom Betz has passed down. She’s always encouraged her family not to quit their day jobs—hard-earned advice from years of lean fishing. Rhonda and Harmony have taken that to heart. While they fish their site every summer, both also run consulting businesses and wear other important hats that keep them busy the rest of the year. But first and foremost, they’re all fisherwomen. 

In this family, fishing and advocacy go hand in hand. Betz, Rhonda, and Harmony have each carried forward not just the tradition of harvesting but a deep sense of responsibility to protect the fisheries that sustain them. For all three, fishing is more than a livelihood, it’s a way of life that binds their family across generations, and that’s worth fighting for. Rhonda shares, “Knowing what the lifestyle means to our family is big. Our family ties were made stronger through fishing.” 

Harmony picks up that thread: “Growing up in Bristol Bay, there were existential threats from development projects like Pebble Mine and offshore oil and gas." Today, the pressure hasn’t eased. Rapidly changing ocean conditions, combined with ongoing issues like factory trawling, have added layers of uncertainty. 

“People up north are losing all their salmon,” she continues, referring to the Chinook and chum salmon declines in the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, where communities throughout the region are grappling with a profound loss after relying on these runs since time immemorial.

“Are our fish going to stop coming back, too?” she wonders. “Living with that uncertainty and knowing how much it means, I’m going to continue to savor each year.” Her grandmother agrees. “Yeah,” Betz says, “because we’ve always had fish in our lives. And we’ve all been around the fish.”

When the conversation turns to their hopes for the future, the connection to fish and family is immediate—and unanimous. Rhonda conveys her heartfelt wish simply: that the fish keep coming back and that the family does too. Then the three laugh quietly, recalling the time Betz  appeared in a commercial opposing the Pebble Mine, where she shared a similar sentiment.

A quiet pause follows before Rhonda adds, “It’s really precious time. You can always make more money, you can never make more time.” Betz chimes in, “Especially with these grandkids and great-grandkids growing up so fast.” Harmony agrees, “Getting to put away salmon, visit, chat, and sleep in tight rooms with all my relatives, never feels lonely.” She adds with a touch of humor and gratitude, “It’s really funny to guess who’s sleeping based on their snore.”

The Bonin-Wayner story is just one tide in a greater current of families, harvesters, and communities bound to the water. In their hard work and determination lives a hope that future generations will not only keep fishing, but find abundance, purpose, and belonging in the life it offers. And they’re not alone. Across Alaska, fishing families like theirs are speaking up and shaping policies to protect their communities and the ocean they depend on. As long as the salmon return, so will the fishermen, carrying forward the same promise Betz made years ago: We’re going to fish.