July 3, 2023 — Growing up in a fishing family showed me much more than a strong work ethic. It showed me fishermen feel the most at home on sea than on land. Fishing has been in my family for generations, and I have always seen firsthand the stewards that make up this industrious community. My great, great-grandfather was the first in our family to fish, and the tradition persisted on to my brother and me.
Though I grew up engulfed by the same fishing traditions as my brother, I fell in love with the ability to be an advocate for fishermen and their families. Both of us were inspired by the different aspects of what our father chose for his occupation. He has always fished predominantly for lobsters and would occasionally labor in other fisheries. Most of our dad’s onshore hours were spent advocating and fighting regulatory issues as a board member for the Maine Lobstermen’s Association.
Once graduating college and moving back to the coast of Maine, I was motivated to take a position that would allow me to learn more about the policy and further aspects of the fishing industry with the ability to share my experience growing up in this community. After taking the position with National Fisherman and being able to connect with other fishing families, I have become inspired to unify this way of life among all the coasts.