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.

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Andrew Dorr is a dedicated public servant hailing from Vinalhaven, Maine, a coastal town located in the mid-coast region of Maine and Penobscot Bay. As the town manager, Dorr's responsibilities are multifaceted and extensive, varying from town to town based on the resources and staffing available. His roles include serving as the treasurer, tax collector, road commissioner, planner, and financial manager for the community. Vinalhaven is a vibrant, year-round island community with a population of approximately twelve to thirteen hundred people.

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.

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.

Brandon Schroeder is an Extension Educator with the Michigan Sea Grant college program, a collaborative effort between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. He is employed through Michigan State University Extension, which forms the other half of Michigan Sea Grant. Schroeder lives and works in Lincoln, Michigan, Alcona County, serving the northern coastal communities of northern Lake Huron. His work primarily involves fisheries, working with commercial fishermen, charter boat fishermen, and the recreational community.

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.

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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