John Williams is the Alaska Sea Grant Fisheries Workforce Specialist based in Cordova. He fishes the Copper River and Prince William Sound as a drift gillnetter and longliner and is owner/operator of the F/V Encounter, holding halibut IFQ in Area 3A.

Through Alaska Sea Grant, John works on fisheries workforce development, mentorship, marine safety, and fishing business education, with a focus on helping fishermen understand the regulatory process and build long-term careers in the industry. John has been involved with the Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit since 2017 as both a participant and organizer and continues to work statewide to support the next generation of Alaska fishermen.