Adam Mistler is an advocate for environmental conservation and collaboration between environmental nonprofits and fishing communities. As a representative of the Ocean Conservancy, he works to dispel misconceptions and build bridges with lobstermen, emphasizing their role as stewards of their livelihoods. Adam's passion lies in positive storytelling and engaging with diverse stakeholders to find common ground in addressing environmental challenges while supporting sustainable fishing practices.

Alex DeKoning, a mussel farmer based out of Bar Harbor, ME, is the son of seventh generation mussel farmers from Holland. His family has been farming mussels in the Netherlands since the 1750s. However, due to limited expansion opportunities there, they decided to explore other regions and eventually settled in Maine. DeKoning and his family run the only mussel farms in North America that farm mussels on the bottom instead of on ropes.

Ali Berlow is a graduate student at Vermont Law School from Martha's Vineyard, MA studying how the role of Atlantic herring has changed in the U.S. food system. She came to the Forum to ask fishermen for their perspectives and talks about her findings as well as how she connects marine fisheries to her work in local-regional food systems and how eaters can support fishermen.

Scope and Content Note

Anne Hayden is a senior fisheries program manager at Manomet from Brunswick, ME. She has spent over 20 years actively participating in the Maine Fishermen's Forum, engaging with fishermen and researchers to understand the pressing issues and trends in the industry. With expertise in river herring restoration and the impact of climate change on fisheries, Anne works towards finding solutions that balance the needs of fishermen, conservation efforts, and the long-term health of marine ecosystems.

Tyler Childers and Anson Kelley, lobstermen and high school students enrolled in the Eastern Maine Skippers Program in Jonesport, ME, are old friends who speak about their experiences in the Eastern Maine Skippers Program, their current work trying to improve bait quality and pricing, their current fishing locations, and the locations they plan to fish in the future.

Avery Waterman, a 20-year-old lobsterman from North Haven, ME, speaks about where he predominantly fishes for lobster while highlighting the changes he has noticed since he began lobster fishing, his current concerns of the impacts of government decisions related to the lobster fishery, and the reality of commercial fishing in North Haven.

Bob Williams, a lobsterman, and his wife, Diane Williams, live in Stonington, ME and first met at the Fishermen’s Forum 38 years ago. They return every year for their anniversary. In the interview, they discuss the rising value of property in their area, their experiences living in coastal Maine, and the changes in the culture and economy of Stonington since the 70s such as the decline of jobs such as quarry work, ice chipping, and factory work.

Bobby Ingalls, a lobsterman from Bucks Harbor, ME, speaks about the lobster and scallop fishing in his area and tells humorous stories about some of the trouble his fishermen friends and family have been in. Focusing on the changes in his community, Ingalls describes the impacts of come-from-aways, fishing in the 70s, and the competitive side of offshore fishing.

Bobby Ingalls is a seasoned lobster fisherman from Bucks Harbor, Maine, with decades of experience in the industry. Known for his resilience and love for the sea, Bobby embraces the traditional aspects of fishing and values sustainable practices.

Reggie Lee, from Westport Island near Boothbay Harbor, is a versatile fisherman who has dabbled in lobstering, dragging, shrimping, and eel trapping throughout his 46-year career. Reggie is transitioning to longlining and eagerly explores new fishing opportunities while advocating for the preservation of smaller-scale fisheries.

Brenda Thomas, a former schooner boat captain from Rockland, ME, sails traditionally on national historic landmark schooners such as the S/V Isaac Evans. Thomas, as someone who has spent two decades on the water, speaks about her spectrum of positive and negative experiences of fishermen interacting with the boating communities.