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Commercial Fisheries News
Volume 33 Number 12
August 2005
Veteran NC industry advocate Jerry Schill moving on to farm life
NEW BERN, NC - After nearly two decades at the helm of the 750-member North Carolina Fisheries Association (NCFA), Jerry Schill is putting himself out to pasture in a manner of speaking.
Schill officially stepped down from the presidency of the 52-year-old organization at the end of July, and, with his wife, Pam, headed home to Pennsylvania, where both were raised, to begin a new life on a 105-acre farm in Amish country.
An ever-present and powerful voice for North Carolina fishermen before state and federal lawmakers and the public, Schill had his hands full dealing with attempts by sport and antifishing interests to kill off the state’s commercial fishing industry.
Looking back, Schill said he had mixed feelings about the experience.
“On one hand, I remember attempts to ban menhaden fishing off parts of our coast and the outright net ban that was proposed about 10 years ago. The success in defeating that legislation was and is gratifying for sure,” he said.
“On the other,” he continued, “I fear that commercial fishermen are dying the death of a thousand cuts. Maybe not through an outright ban, but by economic starvation in many cases.”
A seasoned political veteran, defeat doesn’t bother Schill all that much. What does is the motivation behind many of the attacks on the industry, which, as Schill sees it, boils down to greed.
“Yes, there are some who have genuine concerns over the ‘resource’ but, generally, many of the battles we face are based upon allocation – taking from the commercial fishermen or the consumer and putting it with those who do it for fun,” he said. “How someone can actually get enjoyment over another one’s economic demise is very hard to digest.”
A privilege to serve
Yet, when it comes down to it, the positives far outweighed the negatives to being president of the NCFA.
“I sincerely appreciate the opportunity, indeed the privilege, to serve North Carolina’s commercial fishing families for the past 18 years,” Schill said.
It was truly a family affair. The Schill’s daughter, Amy, worked for NCFA for 12 years. Daughter Sarah also worked for the association for several years and even sons Andy and Adam pitched in for awhile.
A committed Catholic, Schill summed up his experience in spiritual terms.
“I feel this has been like a mission field for me and my family, but with us being the ones ministered to,” he said. “Pam and I will take what we’ve learned living in the Tarheel State and, hopefully, add some joy and spiritual reflection to many families at our Pennsylvania farm.”
That farm will now be called the Joshua Christian Family Center, with the name taken from Joshua 24:15 in the Bible, which says, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
The Schills are transforming the farm into a place where families can come for vacations to experience the agricultural life while spending time together. More information can be found on the web at <www.tjcfc.org>.
New leader
Since early June, Schill has been working alongside his replacement, Sean McKeon, to help ease the leadership transition.
McKeon, who holds the title of NCFA executive director, comes to the association from the Vermont-based Northeast Regional Forest Foundation, where he served as executive director for nine years.
The new job is a return home for McKeon as well, who at one time lived on the Outer Banks and worked in the fishing industry.
“There are myriad issues facing the coastal communities and fishing interests in North Carolina, issues that transcend partisan politics,” he said. “The outcome of many of these issues will be determinative, not only of the future of the fishing industry in our state, but also the future of a unique culture and way of life along the coast of North Carolina.”
Lorelei Stevens
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