It was clear to anyone that knew him that Tad Fujioka had a big heart. It was demonstrated in his love for his family, for his community, and for the place he called home. He was many things: a loving father and husband, a caring friend, a kind and thoughtful community leader, a great fisherman, and a fierce advocate for Southeast Alaska. Tad was a friend to all of us at Sitka Conservation Society. Whether we spent time out on the water catching salmon with him, attended (sometimes lengthy) regulatory meetings with him, listened to him share his knowledge and experience on fish and wildlife policy with emerging generations, or had the pleasure of working with him as a 4-H parent and volunteer, his overwhelming passion for his community shone through in all that he did.
Tad lived his life in a way that was deeply connected to the lands and waters of the Tongass. He was always willing to use his voice to advocate for what he loved. As a commercial fisherman and chairman of the Seafood Producers Cooperative’s board of directors, he advocated for his way of life from external threats. Over the 20 years Tad devoted to the Sitka Advisory Committee to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Tad brought a wealth of knowledge and acute attention to detail to a variety of fish and wildlife regulatory meetings. As the son of a fisheries biologist and graduate of the California Institute of Technology in engineering, he had a solid understanding of the heavy math associated with fisheries management. There was no one more adept on the committee than him at being able to dig deep into complex proposals or suggest amendments to support local people, small boat fishermen, and provide continued harvesting access for people in rural communities.
Tad was a skilled hunter and fisherman. He spent much of his time on the water fishing, both commercial trolling and longlining, but also to feed his family. He prided himself on nourishing his household with foods harvested from the surrounding forest and waters, and enjoyed spending time in the forest hunting deer, and hunting ducks with friends up north. He was happy to share his expertise and enthusiasm with anyone who wanted to gain those skills, including high school students learning to fish and hunt, as well as those who had the good fortune to go out on the water with him. The Wild Foods Potluck was one of his favorite community events, and he looked forward to it every year.
Whether we were close friends with Tad, worked with him, or taught his daughters at SCS’s 4-H program, it was easy to see how smart, caring, and generous he was. Tad’s love for his family, his community, and this place was demonstrated in everything that he touched. He took great pleasure in the food that he caught and loved sharing it, whether it was a proxy deer for neighbors or a dish at our Wild Foods Potluck. He would donate both his time and his deer to our Sitka 4-H program so that his daughters and other youth could learn how to harvest them. The joy that radiated from him and the huge smile on his face that he always had when he shared food, or successfully taught others something new, or when he got a fish on every hook on the wire in one pull out on the drag, it was evident through all of it that he was doing what he loved most.
Tad gave so much of himself to all of us in Sitka, whether we may have realized it or not. All of us at SCS are endlessly grateful to have learned from him, to have benefited from what he shared with us, and for what he brought to our community. We will always cherish and honor the knowledge he gave us, the example of leadership he modeled for us, and his love for the Tongass in all that we do.
