08/23/2026
Honoring Kenny Coleman and his 50 Years of Service to the Eastside Setnet Fishery.
“Today, it is my privilege to recognize a man who has spent his entire life working to make Alaska, and especially the Kenai Peninsula, a better place for the people around him — Kenny Coleman.
Kenny was born in Kodiak and has lived his entire life in Alaska. His working career began in 1968 in Amchitka, Alaska, working with Teamsters Local 959. Over the years, he worked his way through the union and ultimately served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Teamsters when he retired in 2011.
But Kenny had another passion that became a huge part of his life — commercial fishing.
He started fishing in the summers of 1969 and 1970 on the north end of Kalgin Island. He continued fishing sporadically on the Eastside until 1976, when he fished the entire season on North K Beach. In 1979, Kenny bought his own permit, and from that point forward, he fished the Eastside every year.
For many of those years, Kenny wasn’t fishing alone. He fished alongside his wife and sons, making the Eastside setnet fishery a family affair. Generation after generation, they worked together, shared the long days, the hard work, and everything that comes with making a living on the beach. Those years on the Eastside created not only a fishing operation, but memories and a family tradition that will last for years to come.
And Kenny’s fishing adventures didn’t stop there. In the 1980s, he also fished for herring in Kamishak Bay and made two trips to Togiak. Those Togiak trips were, as Kenny would probably tell you, always an adventure.
But Kenny was much more than a fisherman. He was a fighter for the people and the industry he loved.
He served for decades on the board of directors of the Kenai Peninsula Fishermen’s Association and served as both its vice president and president. When the Eastside setnet fishery suffered devastating losses because of king salmon conservation measures, Kenny stepped up.
He personally gathered the information, put the numbers together, and worked through the federal disaster applications for the 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 fisheries. Those disasters have all been approved, and payments are now expected in the near future.
Kenny also recognized that the Eastside fishery needed a long-term solution. He was a driving force behind efforts to establish the Cook Inlet Revitalization Association, with the goal of reducing permits and gear on the Eastside. When that effort evolved, Kenny helped form the Eastside Consolidation Association, continuing the work toward consolidation and a more sustainable future for Eastside setnet fishermen.
That tells you a lot about Kenny Coleman.
He didn’t just look out for himself. He fought for his neighbors, his fellow fishermen, his community, and even for people he had never met.
Kenny spent his working life helping make other people’s lives better. Whether it was through his work with the Teamsters, his dedication to commercial fishing, or his tireless efforts on behalf of Eastside setnet fishermen, he has always been willing to roll up his sleeves and get to work.
This buoy pull banner is only a small sample of what Kenny has given to our community.
So today, at Industry Appreciation Day, it is especially fitting that we take a moment to recognize Kenny Coleman and thank him for a lifetime of service, leadership, and fighting for the Eastside setnet fishery and the people who depend on it.
Kenny, thank you for everything you have done — and continue to do — for the Kenai Peninsula.”
