Shoreline Firefighter Featured on Deadliest Catch Makes A Difference

It’s tradition in the Shoreline Fire Department and other local fire departments when a firefighter or paramedic gets on television that they buy ice cream for the rest of the department.

This past spring, Shoreline firefighter Mark Peterson paid up for his supporting role on the Discovery Channel’s hit “Deadliest Catch," filling in for show regular Matt Bradley.

While Peterson isn’t nearly as famous as his Richmond Beach neighbor, captain Sig Hansen of the Northwestern, who has an ever-lengthening list of products, talk-show appearances and even a movie role in “Cars 2,” Peterson has made his own impact since joining the crew of the Northwestern in the late 1980s.

Besides working as a firefighter, Peterson owns a construction company that builds homes locally including the one he lives in with his wife, Lorean, and son Nathan, daughter Brianna, and four dogs—a rat terrier, wire-haired dachsund, Pomeranian and Chihuahua Pekingese—near Richmond Beach Saltwater Park.

His daughter, Brianna, was adopted as a foster child and he and his wife continue to serve as foster parents, most recently for a 3-year-old girl.

Peterson returned to the waters of the Bering Sea last fall for the first time in years during the latest filming of the show and he still has the bug to go back, if Hansen will have him.

Peterson also garners quite a few mentions in Sig Hansen’s memoir, co-written by Mark Sundeen.  As a supporting character, Hansen recalls wild nights in fisherman’s bars with Peterson, as well recounting the respect Peterson earned while on deck under Hansen’s watch. Hansen also gives kudos to Peterson in the book for wisely investing his earnings his 20s when some guys would have been tempted to spend most of it.

"It's cool to be a part of it a little bit," he said. 

In terms of his own kids taking up fishing, he said collecting fish on small boats during the summer would be "an interesting job, it's not dangerous," and one, "could make a few bucks."

But, generally, he said, "I wouldn't wish fishing on my kids," because of the time away from home, tedium and danger.

"I think you miss out on a lot home stuff," he said. "Granted you have great memories, but you miss out on holidays and birthdays."

Deadliest Catch airs at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 5 and at 8 p.m. Thursday on the Discovery Channel (Comcast Channel 8).