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Kathy Ireland is embarking on a new business venture as she dives into the world of commercial fishing.
In July, the 62-year-old supermodel and businesswoman announced that she had obtained her open-ocean commercial fishing license from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and would be working as a crew member on the 4th Watch, a vessel captained by her husband, former emergency room physician Dr. Greg Olsen.
During an interview with Fox News Digital, the Sports Illustrated cover model explained that she had discovered her passion for her new occupation through Olsen.
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“It’s pretty wonderful,” Ireland said of becoming a commercial fisherman. “I’m so grateful for the opportunities that I have.”
Kathy Ireland has embarked on a career as a commercial fisherman. (Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for AHA/Kathy Ireland Instagram)
“I grew up camping and fishing,” she continued. “My husband, he’s been fishing since he was 3 years old.”
Ireland told Fox News Digital that Olsen spent 40 years as an ER doctor before recently retiring, and for the past two decades, he has balanced both his careers in medicine and commercial fishing.
“I’ve always wanted to go out with him on the boat,” she said. “This season, an opportunity opened up. And when the calendar allows, I go out there with him.”
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In her Instagram post, Ireland clarified that she would not be giving up her “day job.” Ireland is the CEO and chief designer of her global lifestyle brand, kathy ireland Worldwide (kiWW), which licenses products in fashion, home decor, furniture, health and entertainment.
Since Ireland founded kiWW in 1993, the company has grown into a vast business empire. In 2021, kiWW generated $3.1 billion in retail sales, according to Forbes.
While speaking with Fox News Digital, Ireland drew parallels between her business career and working on a commercial fishing boat.
“The lessons I’m learning from being out at sea are amazing,” the California native said. “They’re powerful. Much of it aligns with business. And being out there in truly God’s country where we’re just surrounded by just the wide open sea — it’s beautiful. It’s hard work, but I have a renewed appreciation for what my husband and so many others do. I knew it was hard work. But I knew unless I experienced it, I wouldn’t fully understand why he has this passion.”
Ireland is working alongside her husband Greg Olsen. (Kathy Ireland Instagram)
Ireland also reflected on what she has learned since launching her commercial fishing journey and how it correlates to her experience in the corporate sector.
“I recognize the intentionality that is needed,” she said. “And this is something that translates to the world of business.”
“I’m still literally learning the ropes,” Ireland continued. “When you’re tying those ropes — we’ve got 360-pound traps — it’s critical that they’re tied correctly, or else you can lose those traps. And the work that goes into it, the precision, is absolutely excellent.”
“The first few days, I was struggling, as typically first mate or crew works the rails while the captain is driving,” she explained. “And working the rails, you’re pulling up the traps when you identify your buoy, you’re pulling up the trap, you’re scraping off the kelp and then you’re rolling it onto the rails. And it was so heavy and it was so hard. I mean, everything on my body, it was hurting and I recognized it’s like, ‘Wait a minute.’ It’s with many other sports and elements of life in business. When you make a minor adjustment, a lot of things don’t need to be as difficult as they are.”
Ireland explained that her time at sea gave her a new perspective, drawing a wry comparison between the challenges of nature and those of the boardroom.
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“I have no fear of sharks, yet I have to say I much prefer the sharks in the ocean than I do those in business,” she said. “I’ll deal with those, but the ones in the sea, I love those ones.”
In an Instagram post that she recently shared, Ireland revealed that she was undergoing sea survival training. While speaking with Fox News Digital, she highlighted additional similarities between commercial fishing and business leadership.
“You’ve got to be able to pivot,” she said. “You’ve got to be alert and focused. And you’ve got to be able to take in the elements, everything that’s hitting you at once, and you have to act decisively and focus. So when the weather stirs up quickly and suddenly you’ve gotta change course quickly and you’ve gotta get a good course. And that’s been a powerful lesson.”
Ireland went on to describe the hands-on nature of her training, which covers emergency procedures including actions to take if the boat sinks, how to locate and use the EPIRB (emergency beacon), alert the Coast Guard and navigate the vessel if her husband goes overboard.
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“I can’t just do this as a passive passenger,” Ireland said. “When I’m out there with them, I take it very seriously and I recognize the responsibility that’s involved.”
Ireland poses for a portrait in 1983 in Los Angeles, California. (Harry Langdon/Getty Images)
Ireland also reflected on how her experiences in modeling and commercial fishing share a similar work ethic and intensity.
“Working with [Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue founding editor] Julie Campbell, with SI, we were up when the moon was out, and we’d finish when the moon was out,” she said. “And that’s how commercial fishing is. But with commercial fishing, we don’t stop. There’s so much to do.”
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Olsen owns the commercial fishing operation 4th Watch Seafood, which is based out of Santa Barbara Harbor, California. While speaking with Fox News Digital, Ireland described how she has gained further appreciation for Olsen since working with him at his company and on his ship.
Ireland is undergoing sea survival training. (Kathy Ireland Instagram )
“I’m so proud of him,” she said. “He took a passion of his, and he turned it into a lucrative business that serves people in a really powerful way.”
“Something about his business and my business that I’m learning is we have a lot of similarities,” Ireland continued. “Hard work. We love what we do. We love serving people and giving them the absolute best product.”
Ireland and Olsen have been married since 1988 and share son Erik and daughters Lily and Chloe. The model noted that joining Olsen’s crew marked the first time that the pair have worked together and shed some light on their dynamic at sea.
Ireland and Olsen married in 1988. (John G. Zimmerman /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
“I was wondering what that was going to be like,” she said. “But it’s actually really good.”
She continued, “He’s a great leader. And we’re both very independent people. So I wondered like, ‘OK, how is that going to work?’ But I’ve watched him navigate this and he’s done so much in his life.”
Ireland explained that being part of a commercial fishing crew involves long days that start before dawn, chopping bait under moonlight and continuing into the heat of the day.
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She said that she and Olsen have developed a rhythm while working as a team to haul traps, measure lobsters and reset the bait.
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“There’s this beautiful synchronicity,” Ireland said. “Sometimes, when we get it right, and I’m learning, but when it goes well, it feels like a dance almost.”
“But in addition to just full days out there, afterwards, we’re swabbing the decks,” she continued. “We’re cleaning out the bait jars. We’re just getting everything clean and ready for the next day.”