Sig Hansen
Encyclopedia
Sigurd Jonny "Sig" Hansen (born April 28, 1966) is an American Captain
of the fishing vessel Northwestern
. Since 2006, Hansen has been featured in all seasons of the documentary television series Deadliest Catch
, for which he also serves as technical advisor for the production.
-ancestry fishermen; his father and grandfather pioneered opilio crab fishing in Alaska as a way of giving crab
boats a chance to earn money year-round rather than in short mostly late-year seasons. He began fishing at age 14, working on his family's boat. After he graduated from high school, he began fishing year-round, spending on average 10 months per year in Alaska
and the Bering Sea
. Occasionally he would also fish mackerel
and cod
in Norway during the summer. In his early years he would cut school so that he could go fishing.
By age 24, he began running the Northwestern full time and over the years, the Northwestern has become a top producer with an excellent safety record; the Northwestern has never had a single death at sea in the nearly 20 years Hansen has been at its helm, and its serious injury rate is significantly lower than other boats in the Bering Sea fleet as well. In 2005 for King Crab and 2006 for Opilio The Northwestern won the final derby seasons taking home the titles for both the highest poundage caught and the highest dollars earned between the featured boats in the Deadliest Catch
.
As of 2011, Sig Hansen serves as the full-time captain during king and opilio crab seasons, as well as the pot cod fishery on the Northwestern. His younger brothers, Edgar and Norman, are deck boss and deckhand, respectively.
In March 2010, Hansen became a published author with the release of his book (co-written with Mark Sundeen
), North By Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters, which reached the bestseller lists of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
On April 29, 2010, Hansen was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
. During the show, he expressed his desire to be a contestant on the next season of the hit ABC
reality television series Dancing with the Stars. Leno's staff set up a Facebook page to gather support for Hansen to be selected to appear on the show. In September 2010, Hansen announced he would not be returning for the seventh season of Deadliest Catch. However, on October 8 it was announced that Hansen would return to the show.
He provided the voice of a boat named Crabby (modeled after The Northwestern herself) in the Disney
Pixar film Cars 2
.
Like his brothers, he speaks fluent Norwegian, which he learned before English as his Norwegian parents spoke the language at home. He follows the "Norwegian Fisherman's Diet" while at sea: coffee, chocolate and cigarettes. He is a supporter of the Seahawks
and the Mariners
.
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
of the fishing vessel Northwestern
FV Northwestern
F/V Northwestern is an Alaskan crab, Pacific cod, and salmon tendering fishing vessel notable for being featured in the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch...
. Since 2006, Hansen has been featured in all seasons of the documentary television series Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch is a documentary/reality television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the real life events aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and C. opilio crab fishing seasons.The Aleutian Islands port of Dutch Harbor,...
, for which he also serves as technical advisor for the production.
Early life
Sigurd Jonny Hansen was born the eldest of three sons of Sverre Hansen in Seattle, descended from a long lineage of NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
-ancestry fishermen; his father and grandfather pioneered opilio crab fishing in Alaska as a way of giving crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
boats a chance to earn money year-round rather than in short mostly late-year seasons. He began fishing at age 14, working on his family's boat. After he graduated from high school, he began fishing year-round, spending on average 10 months per year in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and the Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
. Occasionally he would also fish mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
and cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
in Norway during the summer. In his early years he would cut school so that he could go fishing.
Career
Hansen started as a deckhand on his father's boat before his teenage years, working his way up the ranks and proving himself to be a capable and steady presence at sea. At age 22, he became a “relief skipper”, relieving other captains on the Northwestern, as well as doing short-haul stints on other boats in the fleet.By age 24, he began running the Northwestern full time and over the years, the Northwestern has become a top producer with an excellent safety record; the Northwestern has never had a single death at sea in the nearly 20 years Hansen has been at its helm, and its serious injury rate is significantly lower than other boats in the Bering Sea fleet as well. In 2005 for King Crab and 2006 for Opilio The Northwestern won the final derby seasons taking home the titles for both the highest poundage caught and the highest dollars earned between the featured boats in the Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch is a documentary/reality television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the real life events aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and C. opilio crab fishing seasons.The Aleutian Islands port of Dutch Harbor,...
.
As of 2011, Sig Hansen serves as the full-time captain during king and opilio crab seasons, as well as the pot cod fishery on the Northwestern. His younger brothers, Edgar and Norman, are deck boss and deckhand, respectively.
In March 2010, Hansen became a published author with the release of his book (co-written with Mark Sundeen
Mark Sundeen
Mark Sundeen is an American author. His book Car Camping was published by HarperCollins in 2000. His book The Making of Toro was published by Simon & Schuster in 2003. North by Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters was released in early 2010...
), North By Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters, which reached the bestseller lists of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
On April 29, 2010, Hansen was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
. During the show, he expressed his desire to be a contestant on the next season of the hit ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
reality television series Dancing with the Stars. Leno's staff set up a Facebook page to gather support for Hansen to be selected to appear on the show. In September 2010, Hansen announced he would not be returning for the seventh season of Deadliest Catch. However, on October 8 it was announced that Hansen would return to the show.
He provided the voice of a boat named Crabby (modeled after The Northwestern herself) in the Disney
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
Pixar film Cars 2
Cars 2
Cars 2 is a 2011 American computer-animated action film produced by Pixar, and it is the sequel to the 2006 film, Cars. In the film, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater becomes sidetracked with international espionage...
.
Personal life
Hansen is married to wife June. The couple live with their two children in Seattle Nina and Mandy. Hansen is an alumnus of Shorewood High School.Like his brothers, he speaks fluent Norwegian, which he learned before English as his Norwegian parents spoke the language at home. He follows the "Norwegian Fisherman's Diet" while at sea: coffee, chocolate and cigarettes. He is a supporter of the Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and the Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
.