One of the biggest supermodels of the 1980s and ‘90s has launched a surprising new career.
Kathy Ireland, best known for her work as a model and actress, is now working as a commercial fisher. She revealed in July that she obtained her open-ocean commercial fishing license from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to work on the 4th Watch, a vessel captained by her husband, Dr. Greg Olsen.
“Some say spouses shouldn’t work together, I think it will be great!” she wrote on Instagram, adding that she’ll keep her “day job” as a philanthropist, spokesperson and entrepreneur.
Ireland, 62, revealed last month that she collected a lot of lobster on her first trip as first mate.
“Amazing! Lobster fishing is hard work! Sore from head to toe but a good kind of sore!” she said. “Non-stop from pre-dawn to post dusk, the most beautiful scenery everywhere and the most handsome captain!”
She also shared a photo earlier this month of herself on the ship’s deck, smiling and “filling bait jars with warm squishy mackerel.”
The former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover star told Fox News that she “grew up camping and fishing,” but recently discovered a passion for the business side of it with her husband. Olsen recently retired as an ER doctor after four decades and now works as a commercial fisherman.
“My husband, he’s been fishing since he was 3 years old,” Ireland told Fox News. “I’ve always wanted to go out with him on the boat… This season, an opportunity opened up. And when the calendar allows, I go out there with him.”
“The lessons I’m learning from being out at sea are amazing,” she continued. “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 famously appeared in 13 consecutive issues of SI Swim, plus landed covers for Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Shape Fitness, Seventeen, Harper’s Bazaar and Forbes magazines.
Model Kathy Ireland attends the Party to Celebrate the 29th Edition of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue and Cover Model Kathy Ireland and HBO Hosts Special Video Release of “Behind the Scenes: The Official Swimsuit Video” on March 3, 1992 at the Supper Club, 240 West 47th Street in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)Ron Galella Collection via Getty
She also acted in more than 40 movies and TV shows, including “Necessary Roughness,” “Melrose Place,” “Mom and Dad Save the World,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “Boy Meets World,” “Once Upon a Christmas,” “Alien from L.A.” and “National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1.” She was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2009.
Despite launching a commercial fishing career, Ireland said she’s still working as the CEO, founder and chief designer of her company Kathy Ireland Worldwide. Since launching in 1993, kiWW has become a billion-dollar empire licensing products and services including fashion, home decor, furniture, health, wellness and business solutions.
“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 joked to Fox News. “I’ll deal with those, but the ones in the sea, I love those ones.”
Ireland and Olsen married in 1988. They have three children together.
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