Sonia Strobel is co-founder and CEO of Skipper Otto, a Community Supported Fishery (CSF) based on Coast Salish territory in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Sonia worked for decades in a variety of community-based organizations, non-profits, and as a high school teacher. A member of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs since the early 90’s, Sonia brought her knowledge of CSA’s to the family fishery, first conceiving of the idea for one of the first CSFs in the world in 2008.

Skipper Otto is a certified B Corp and certified Living Wage employer. They educate consumers about important issues in fisheries and the value of eating with the ecosystem while advocating for just policy reform.

Today, Sonia is a sought-after speaker and mentor throughout Canada and around the world, supporting the development of community-based food systems. She is on advisory committees with the Fisheries for Communities Coalition, Slow Fish Canada, and the Local Catch Network USA. In 2023, she spearheaded Local Catch Canada where she has convened harvesters, academics, Indigenous leaders, NGOs, and fishing businesses to envision more just and equitable fisheries and food systems in Canada. She was an inaugural expert in Vancouver Island University’s Seafood Business Accelerator program in 2023, creator of Local Catch’s mentorship program in 2023. She continues to mentor many leaders who are starting and growing socially conscious seafood businesses across Canada and the USA. 

Sonia has also been the recipient of many awards acknowledging her vision and leadership including: winner of Coralus (formerly SheEO) in 2015; Veuve Cliquot Business Woman Award 2018 Canadian finalist; winner of the Forum’s 2019 Pitch Finale; Inc Magazine’s list of the top 100 female entrepreneurs of 2020; and finalist in the BC Food and Beverage Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2023.

https://skipperotto.com/