Tradition continues for Gary Wanger. Born into a fishing family from the Maritimes, Mr. Wanger, with his fibreglass boat, the Jalun River, has spent 41 years trolling the B.C. coast for side-stripe shrimp. But while the shrimp may be hopping, the economic reality is beginning to set in. 'We're selling [shrimp]for what we sold it for 15 years ago now, and of course the price of fuel has quadrupled,' he says while fishing the inlets near Prince Rupert. Is retirement in the cards for Mr. Wanger? That will depend on his wife. 'I was offered $1.2-million for my boat two years ago. I called her up and she says, I don't want you around my feet all the time.' Mr. Wanger laughs and shakes his head. 'I guess I'll just work at a slower pace while I can still do it.'
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"She seems to be happy with me away [fishing] We gotta have our own space ... we've been married 39 years."
Gary Wanger,
shrimp fisherman