Sig Hansen

The son of a Norwegian fisherman, Sig began fishing at age 14. His father came from a long line of fishermen and was one of the first to develop the King Crab industry in Alaska. While still in high school, Sig served as a deckhand on a salmon gillnetter and joined his father aboard the family boat Northwestern which worked the crab fisheries in Alaskan waters. Sig also had a chance during some summers to return to his roots and fish in Norwegian waters.

After finishing high school, Sig took up fishing full time, spending many months every year in Alaska. At the young age of 22, he was already enough of a veteran to serve as a "relief captain" on the Northwestern. Four years later, he became the boat's full-time captain and one of the youngest ever to take command. From his earliest years at the Northwestern's helm, Sig has known that his position in the captain's chair depends completely on results. Bring home the catch or go back to being a deckhand!

Sig is a hard-driving captain who can push himself and his crew to work grueling hours under extreme conditions. Under that tough exterior, however, lies a fatherly and compassionate man who puts a premium on family responsibility. His wife, Juna, calls in weather reports (delivered in Norwegian!) and Sig keeps close to her and their three daughters back onshore. He extends his connection to family out to his crew; last year Sig kept deckhand Jake Anderson's slot open when Jake had to go ashore after his sister's death -- something other skippers might have refused to do. And this year, Sig will be training his brother Edgar to take over as captain of the Northwestern.