Several nonprofit fishing organizations are getting federal funds to help develop the next generation of the industry.
Ben Martens, Executive Director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, said the business has changed a lot in the last 20 or 30 years.
“It’s not about who can catch the most the fastest. It’s about quality,” Martens said. “We have less in our oceans. We have to bring it in when it’s worth the most. My board member, a lifelong fisherman, said it best when he said you have to fish smarter not harder.”
Martens said there’s real opportunity in the ocean, but we have to plan for it with young adults who want to pursue fishing careers.
“We spend a lot of time managing natural resources and investing in science and data, which are crucial. We also need to be making investments in our people, that are the real asset that Maine brings to the table,” Martens said.
He said grant money coming to his organization will be used to provide educational tools and mentorship. Additional funding will support the Eastern Maine Skippers Program provided by the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries.
The Young Fishermen’s Development Act was passed by Congress in 2020 to establish a grant program to support education, training and technical assistance for young fishermen.