About Kurt Irwin

Captain Kurt Irwin is a 4th-generation First Nations Salt Spring Islander, owner and operator of Saltspring Reel Action Fishing Charters, and regional reporter for Island Fisherman Magazine. A lifelong mariner across the Southern Gulf Islands and a Penelakut tribal councillor, Kurt brings deep generational knowledge of local tides, bottom structure, and marine ecosystems. He authors the Southern Gulf Islands fishing reports and provides critical commentary on coastal marine policy, including Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) foraging management, Pacific herring conservation, and public salmon allocation. His writing pairs tactical downrigger trolling and trap rigging with Indigenous coastal stewardship.