July 8, 2025 — For many in Louisiana’s menhaden industry, fishing is a family tradition passed down from generation to generation. To see this tradition carried on today, look no further than the Damerons: fourth-generation Ocean Harvesters Captain Michael Dameron and his son Andrew.
For Michael, being the captain of the Ocean Harvesters Fishing Vessel Oyster Bayou is the fulfillment of a childhood dream.
“All I ever wanted to be was a fish boat captain,” Michael says. “I graduated high school on a Saturday night, stepped aboard a boat Sunday morning, and I’ve never looked back.”