From 5:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. on nearly any given day in San Francisco Bay, Marshal Korss, 21, can be found piloting his 19-foot Boston Whaler out of Sausalito’s Clipper Yacht Harbor into San Francisco Bay to fish for halibut. Korss is the youngest commercial fisherman in the Bay Area, and has been running his own business since he was old enough to purchase a license. The 850 pounds of halibut he catches each week make their way to fish markets and local restaurants, eventually ending up in grocery stores and on dinner tables.

Small-scale commercial fishing is one of an increasing number of professions at risk of disappearing due to climate change and exploitation of natural resources. Warming ocean temperatures and overfishing have caused fish populations to decline so rapidly that California was forced to close their salmon fishing season in both 2023 and 2024 — two of four closures ever recorded. The closure of the salmon season, which many fishermen depend on for their income, have led many to turn toward other careers. Korss estimates he is one of eight fishermen in the Bay Area who still fish daily.

Despite the long hours, Korss says he’ll continue to do it as long as he can.

“If I’m not out fishing, I’m sitting at home, thinking about how many fish other people must be catching,” Korss said. “It’s my addiction.”

Korss gazes out at the sunrise as he leaves the dock on the morning of Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

Korss loads his fish to sell to a fish market at Fisherman’s Wharf on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. Wholesalers tell him ahead of time how much fish they want, meaning he must stay out on the water until he catches enough to satisfy their needed quantities. He says the uncertainty of the job is simultaneously frustrating and the exact reason why he loves it. "Other people go work a job and get paid," he said. "Every time I leave the dock, I don't know what's gonna happen. But that's part of the fun."

Korss picks up bait from Matt, whom he calls “The Butler”, at Fisherman’s Wharf on Monday, June 3, 2024. The 10-second meeting is one of his only in-person social interactions all day. Despite the solitude, Korss says he rarely feels lonely out on the water.

Korss baits a hook with a live anchovy on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

Korss grew up fishing with his family, but doubts he would be out on the water daily if it weren’t for the COVID-19 pandemic. While the rest of the world isolated at home, Korss took to the water, attending his high school on Zoom from his boat while he fished.

“Everyone couldn’t go to work, but I could still fish and feed people,” Korss said.

By the time he graduated high school, his business had grown, so Korss decided rather than go to school, he wanted to stay out on the water.

Korss is one of an increasing number of Gen Z youth choosing to forego a college education in pursuit of other careers; a study by The Campaign for College Opportunity found enrollment in California higher education institutions has decreased 6.5% since the start of the pandemic.

Korss hauls in a 12 pound halibut on Monday, June 3, 2024. To bring the fish on deck, he spears them with a hook behind their eyes. Korss says he once caught as many as 53 fish in one day, but averages between 10 and 20.

Korss says fishing is what helped him build his confidence; as a shy kid with ADHD, he says he felt pride when he began to catch more fish than the older guys out on the water.

Despite insisting he's “not trying to catch every fish in the pond”, locals have affectionately renamed Belvedere Cove, a local fishing spot, "Marsh's Hole" due to the number of fish he manages to catch there.

Korss cleans the bow of his boat on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. During the fishing season, which runs from April to October, he rarely takes a day off; last year he worked more than 70 days straight. To save money, Korss also does almost all of the upkeep of the boat himself, sometimes staying down at the dock until midnight to make necessary repairs in between days of fishing. Korss says if there's any quality you need to be a fisherman, "it's determination".

Korss’ catch of seven halibut lies on the bow of his boat, waiting to be placed in a cooler, on Monday, June 3, 2024. "It's dirty," says Korss of his job. "Kinda sloppy."

F: Korss loads a cooler of fish into his truck on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, ready to be sold to a local restaurant.

Korss eats a plate of the halibut he caught and sold to a restaurant in Sausalito on June 3, 2024. The occasion marked the first time he tried a plate of his own fish prepared by a chef. Korss rarely has enough time to eat more than a snack while out fishing.

Korss walks to his car to head home from Clipper Yacht Harbor on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

Korss brushes his teeth at 5 a.m. on June 5, 2024 with his eyes still closed. Korss spends less than five minutes getting ready before leaving in the morning. He sets 20 alarms to ensure he doesn’t oversleep.

Korss pilots his boat back out into San Francisco Bay from Sausalito for another day of fishing on June 3, 2024.