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NF has always understood that U.S. commercial fishermen are remarkable people, but we made formal recognition of the work they do on and off the water when the magazine began the Highliner Award program in 1975. Now the general public has an opportunity to learn why the nation’s fishermen are special, too.

Busch beer has selected Wanchese, N.C., fisherman Dewey Hemilright as one of six people making up the Busch Heroes program’s class of 2015. The program honors hardworking men and women who “earn it” every day.

According to Busch, it developed the program in 2014 to recognize people “who truly go above and beyond, not only in their day job, but also by making a difference in their community when the workday is complete.”

Hemilright, who we named a Highliner in 2012, certainly qualifies for the Busch program. He fishes aboard the 42-foot Tar Baby, longlining for tunas and swordfish in the fall, gillnetting for spiny dogfish and targeting croaker and bluefish until April, then longlining for dolphin and tilefish in the summer.

But Hemilright also puts in plenty of time off the water as an industry advocate and educator. He’s a member of the Mid-Alantic Fishery Management Council, the Dare County Commission for Working Watermen, North Carolina Watermen United, the Blue Water Fishermen’s Association and the North Carolina Fisheries Association.

And for about 10 years, he’s participated in Provider Pals, a program that matches schools with professionals who work with natural resources. Hemilright visits classrooms throughout the country to talk with students about what it’s like to be a commercial fisherman.

Hemilright and his fellow Busch Heroes will be featured in print ads, on retail displays and region-specific billboards. Hemilright is also a subject of the short video below that Busch promotes on its Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Even a short video piece like this one can only help to raise the profile of America’s commercial fishermen. Hemilright and plenty of commercial harvesters all over the country work hard and do their best to educate people about the job they love. There are plenty of heroes in the U.S. fishing industry to go around.

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