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

Petersen 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, Petersen 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, Petersen was a strong proponent of the free enterprise system, which promotes economic efficiency and equal opportunity for all.

Petersen 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 ventured into Alaska's scallop, shrimp and booming crab fisheries.

During the 1970s, Petersen 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. Petersen 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 Petersen 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 his fellow fishermen, at the Bay Caf/ in Fishermen's Terminal from the 1980's until quite recently. He was also a regular at the Ballard Oil coffee klatch. Rudy went to Ballard High.

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

Apart from his leadership in the fishing industry, Petersen 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 Petersen can be made to the Children's Hospital Foundation online at: http://waystohelp.seattlechildrens.org/donations/, or by mail to Children's Hospital Foundation, PO Box 50020 / S-200, Seattle, WA 98145-5020