“Deadliest Catch” skipper Phil Harris, one of only 3 men in the world who would stand a chance against Chuck Norris, passed away yesterday. There hasn’t been such a tough son of a bitch on the sea since Ahab. God bless, it was awesome watching you kill lots of tasty animals. From the Discovery Channel website…

“Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew.”

From Jake and Josh Harris:

“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad — Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.”

From Thom Beers, executive producer of “Deadliest Catch”:

“Captain Phil Harris was one of the cornerstones of Deadliest Catch since the series premiered. He believed without risk there was no reward, and he allowed us to document his extraordinary life on the Bering Sea. I am forever grateful for his passion about his work, and his direct sense of humor and irony. Phil gave us a remarkable gift during the past six seasons with Original Productions, and became an extraordinary friend. We will miss him.”