Saving Seafood

Connecting the next generation of fishermen

October 19, 2026 — Breaking into the commercial fishing industry can be tough for those not from a fishing town or family. To address this, the National Future Fishermen Coalition is working to bring the next generation of deckhands and captains to the fleets from Alaska to the Gulf Coast and up to New England. The coalition is comprised of regional fishing organizations from around the United States, most of whom had already initiated deckhand training programs, but saw the necessity of joining forces, sharing knowledge, and collaborating for a unified national effort.

“The idea came together in an email chain in 2023 where people from around the U.S. realized they were all working independently to address the same problem — the greying of the fleet,” says Maité Duquela Sánchez, coordinator of the National Future Fishermen Coalition. “We officially launched in 2025 as a platform for fishermen of the next generation.”

These efforts will be presented at the first National Future Fishermen Summit on Nov. 20 at Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle. The daylong event will feature a variety of panel discussions, talks, and a chance for young fishermen from around the country to network with each other and build connections for the future.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Future fishermen: Community recruiting for the next generation

November 5, 2024 —  “Our fishing fleets have long been sustained through recruitment via family traditions and within working waterfront communities,” said Maité Duquela, coordinator of the National Future Fishermen Coalition, a new workforce development initiative formed by a group of community-driven fishing organizations that are prioritizing access to and training for work in domestic fishing fleets. “The changes we’re seeing in our communities tell us we can no longer rely on our traditions alone.”

Succession planning, the graying of the fleet, and difficulties staffing domestic commercial boats with qualified (or even willing and able) crew have dogged fishing captains and boat owners for years.

Add to the growing list of confounding and compounding problems: widespread gentrification and shoreside development that threaten critical working waterfront infrastructure as well as waterfront accessibility and opportunities for potential future fishermen.

Fishing organizations around the country have been taking on this problem head-on, knowing that local access to sustainable wild seafood depends on the employment of fishermen willing to catch and land it — and viable working waterfronts are the vital corridor.

Representatives from these organizations will discuss new opportunities for workforce development and waterfront resilience at a conference panel at Pacific Marine Expo on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 10:45 a.m. Among the topics they’ll dive into are funding opportunities for programs, including the Young Fishermen’s Development Act, and the importance of industry support to keep these programs running. Several of the panelists are members of the National Future Fishermen Coalition as well as the Fishing Communities Coalition (FCC).

Read the full article at the National Fisherman