Bruce Fernald, a lobsterman from Little Cranberry Island, ME, speaks about his concerns for the future of his island community and the Maine lobster industry. He emphasizes the importance of getting internet out to islands to provide other options for making a living. Fernald also talks about how none of the young people in his family want to fish and that six generations of lobster fishing will end with this generation.

Butch Harris is a seasoned fisherman and summertime charter captain from Eastport, Maine. He has spent the majority of his life engaging in lobstering, scalloping, and urchin diving. 

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Chris Bartlett, a marine extension associate with the University of Maine Sea Grant from Eastport, ME, whose work has focused on commercial fishing and aquaculture, speaks about the economic and social changes in Eastport during his time there.

Chris Petersen, a professor of biology and ecology at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, ME.  He has worked with undergraduates on Mount Desert Island, at multiple locations in the Caribbean, and the Pacific Northwest, and is currently collaborating with researchers with several groups in Maine including the Penobscot East, the University of Maine, and Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory.

Chellie Pingree, a United States congresswoman from North Haven, ME, whose work focuses on fisheries policy issues, speaks about her work speaking to local lobstermen and how this year’s conversations have focused on concerns about the future of the fisheries with warming temperatures. She describes her own concerns for the future of her island community and the values and necessities of island life.

Cormac Hondros-McCarthy, from Lowell, MA, is part of a team of engineers at LobsterLift LLC developing ropeless lobster traps to reduce the risk of whale entanglement.

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Dan Harriman is a fisherman who operates the state’s last mackerel weir in Cape Elizabeth, ME. His family came to the US from Denmark in the 1980s. He speaks about his experience fishing and discusses the issues he sees in the fishing industry such as unsustainability and lack of access. He believes these challenges stem from knowledge not being passed between generations and suggests that change needs to come from the bottom up.

Dana Morse, from Walpole, ME, is a seasoned professional in the field of aquaculture and marine resource management. With over two decades of experience as a member of the Maine Sea Grant Program, he has dedicated his career to education, research, and technology transfer in the industry. As a co-founder of the Nice Oyster Company, Morse is also an oyster farmer, bringing practical hands-on knowledge to his work and bridging the gap between academia and industry.

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Daniel Devereaux, from Brunswick, ME, is harbor master, clam warden, and cofounder of Mere Point Oyster Company in Maquoit Bay.

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Dave Cousens is a veteran lobster fisherman from Waterman's Beach, South Thomaston, Maine. He played a crucial role in fostering cooperation between American and Canadian lobster fishermen. Dave's dedication to sustainable fishing practices and his efforts to educate younger generations about the industry have made him a respected leader in the lobster community.