A pioneer of modern U.S. fisheries in the North Pacific died Sunday in Seattle. Peterson was among a handful of fishing leaders credited with expanding American fisheries beyond traditional nearshore waters to compete with and ultimately displace the foreign fleet from the nation's fertile offshore waters.

Peterson passed away on August 19 after a long struggle with lung disease. He was 78.

Rudy spent his life dedicated to the independent fisherman. Rudy was a charter member and served as president and director of many fishermen's associations. As an advisor and member of fisheries management bodies in Washington and Alaska, he did his utmost to promote conservation, safety, and fairness. During the later part of his career Rudy spent a great deal of time in Washington D.C. deeply involved in and steadfastly pursuing the Americanization of our fisheries. Even as he pressed for aggressive offshore expansion of U.S. fisheries, Peterson strongly supported science-based fishery management in the North Pacific, and he is remembered for his influential insistence that fishermen respect the catch limits recommended by scientists. In recent years especially, Peterson was a strong proponent of the free enterprise system which promotes economic efficiency and equal opportunity for all.

Peterson began fishing in 1944, working all over the West Coast of North America. He fished tuna, sardines, anchovy, mackerel, and sharks in California, and salmon and herring in Alaska. In the 1960s he ventures into Alaska's scallop, shrimp and booming crab fisheries.

During the 1970's, Peterson and other fishing leaders campaigned to expand U.S. marine jurisdiction to 200 miles at sea and to create regional fishery management councils to oversee the domestic industry that would expand into this ocean frontier. Their work resulted in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, which is still the nation's main fisheries law. Peterson served for six years as a member of the North Pacific Council, which governed the fisheries off Alaska. He was also the Vice Chair of the Council.

By the early-1980s, as Peterson and other industry leaders launched domestic fleets to pursue cod, Pollock, and other groundfish, he became one of the fishing industry's most successful vessel owners. He received the Highliner Award of 1985 as well as recognition from NOAA in 1988 for his dedication to fisheries management and conservation.

Rudy could be seen every morning, with fellow fishermen, at the Bay Caf/ in Fishermen's Terminal from the 1980s until quite recently. He was also a regular at the Ballard Oil coffee klatch, and could be seen at Hattie's Hat back in the days when black cod was the lunch special. Rudy went to Ballard High. He was the 1983 Ballard Business Person of the year.

Peterson built, fished, and managed a string of vessels during his career, often with partners, and he is remembered for helping many other fishermen get their start in the industry. Over the years he owned or co-owned the North Sea, the Sea Rose, Reefer II, Neptune I, the Destination, the Amalaska II, the North Pacific, the Pacific Voyager, the Royal pacific, the Anna Marie, the Ocean Leader, the U.S. Dominator, the Pat San Marie, the U.S. Intrepid, the U.S. Liberator, the Pathfinder and the American No. 1.

Born on September 11, 1928, Peterson came from a Norwegian-American fishing family. The tradition has continued with many of his children and grandchildren, collectively representing five generations of fishermen. Peterson is survived by his wife Gail Peterson, sister Barbara Studerus and husband Bob, five children, 13 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. His sons and daughters include Rudy Peterson Jr., Kristine Zimmerman and husband John, Chris Peterson and wife Carol, Mike Peterson and wife Shelli, Jody Peterson. Other family survivors include Gail's children: Lisa and husband Randy, Cindy and husband Pete, and Dana. Survivors also include Peterson's business partner since 1986, Helena Park, with whom he built various fishing entities including Fisherman's Finest, Inc.

Apart from his leadership in the fishing industry, Peterson is also remembered as a sprint-car racing enthusiast who owned several race cars that toured the West Coast circuit, one of which was aptly named "King Crab Sprinter".

Donations in memory of Rudy Peterson can be made to the Children's Hospital Foundation online at: http://waystohelp.seattlechildrens.org/donations/, or by mail to Children'