News

By Advocate Staff

The North Coast fishing community is mourning the loss of Michael Maahs who died while crab fishing with his father Saturday.

The 44-year-old son of William "Sonny" and Doris Maahs, Michael started salmon fishing with his father when he was 11. Over the years, they've earned wide respect for their work on behalf of the salmon fishery.

Like many salmon fishermen who've turned to crab fishing for a living, the Maahs spent Saturday morning aboard the 42-foot Kromoli checking their crab pots between Usal and Rockport. They were headed on a straight line to Noyo when the tragedy unfolded.

Michael was at the wheel in the pilothouse when Sonny lay down on the bunk beside him for a nap. He said he couldn't have been asleep more than 10 minutes when he awoke, didn't see Michael at the wheel or on deck and realized something was wrong.

Sonny immediately sent a radio distress call, then circled the area off Ten Mile searching for his son until a Coast Guard boat, helicopter and plane arrived. About 4 p.m., the helicopter crew located Michael in the rough water and airlifted him to shore. From there, a CALSTAR medical helicopter transported him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Though the swells were moderate when they left Noyo Saturday morning, Sonny said the wind kicked them up on the return trip. He believes Michael must have been thrown off balance while trying to tie down some loose gear.

Michael was born in Fort Bragg on April 7, 1955. After graduating from Fort Bragg High School in 1973, he attended Humboldt State where he earned a bachelor of science in fishing biology in 1980.

In addition to commercial fishing with his father, Michael was very active with the Mendocino Coast Resource Conservation District as an advisor on stream restoration projects and on a recently completed Garcia River study. He was also the new chairman of the Salmon Restoration Association of California, which his father helped found 28 years ago.

Just two weeks ago, the Maahs family attended the 28th Annual Legislative Fisheries Forum in Sacramento where Michael's father was honored for his half-century of work on behalf of the salmon fishery, and his dedication to his family and fellow fishing men and women. He was presented with a resolution by Assemblywoman Virginia Strom-Martin, state Sen. Wes Chesbro and the members of the Joint Committee on Fisheries & Aquaculture.

"Mike had helped put the resolution together, providing much of the historic information about his dad," said Zeke Grader, director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. "I mention this to show just how much the Maahs family has meant to those of us in the fisheries. Mike was not only carrying on his father's legacy but creating one of his own. His loss Saturday is very tragic."

In his free time, Michael also enjoyed bottle digging, gardening and the outdoors.

He is survived by his children, Cyrus and Stephanie, his father and mother, Doris and Sonny Maahs of Fort Bragg; his sisters, Julie Maahs-Rhoads of Sacramento and Gayle Vaughn of Fort Bragg; his eternal friend, Shannon Nadeau of Fort Bragg, and by the mother of his children, Joan Maahs of Fort Bragg.

Funeral services were held Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Bragg, followed by interment at Rose Memorial Park. Arrangements were handled by Chapel by the Sea.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Education Fund for the Maahs Children, Account 24-379226, Savings Bank of Mendocino, 490 S. Franklin St., Fort Bragg 95437.