"My dad's a fisherman," he said. "My grandfather was a fisherman."
So he sees what's happening to the industry.
"It's hurting pretty bad," Caleb said. "They cut back every year."
Fishermen are coping with reductions to the amount of fish that can be caught and the days they can go out to sea as part of 2010 regulatory changes that included the introduction of catch shares and the creation of sector management.
The industry is moving from one of small family boats to a corporate model, explained Tove Bendiksen, a Hastings history teacher who grew up in the business.
The changes mean that despite generations of fishermen in their families, students like Caleb and Hunter Lees, whose dad and several uncles are fishermen, don't see fishing as their future.
"I've thought about it, but most likely it won't be the same," Caleb said.
FAIRHAVEN — Recent regulatory changes to the fishing industry may not be covered in the Fairhaven school curriculum, but that doesn't mean students at Hastings Middle School aren't aware of the situation.
So when the Student Council wanted to do something different for a fundraiser this year, something within their own community, seventh-grade council representative Caleb Cebula, 12, naturally thought of helping fishermen.
Caleb and Hunter say their hope is that the seafood dinner will help raise awareness of these issues and the financial impact on local families.
Read the complete story from the South Coast Today.