Parker Poole, 31 years old at the time of the interview, runs a marine salvage and towing business and fishes commercially on the side in Portland, ME. Despite lobstering in high school, he did not log enough hours to meet the qualification criteria to receive a Maine lobster license, so he made the decision not to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time fisherman.

Scope and Content Note

In the interview, Parker Poole shares his experiences with lobstering, how he grew up around the waterfront, and worked for a lobster boat during high school. He explains the challenges of obtaining a lobster license in Maine, as the system favors those with family connections in the industry, leaving others waiting for a decade or more. Parker also talks about the restrictions and barriers he faces in the groundfish industry due to licensing and quota consolidation. The interview touches on the drug issue in the fishing community, as Parker mentions the impact of drug abuse on safety and the future of the fishing industry.

He also discusses his involvement in commercial rod and reel tuna fishing, which he does part-time alongside his marine salvage business. Parker expresses his love for lobstering and the variability it offers every day. However, he communicates the need for changes in the fishing industry to make it more accessible and sustainable, such as making licenses transferable and addressing quota consolidation. He hypothesizes that the lobster industry is at risk of collapsing due to its lack of diversity and heavy reliance on lobstering alone. He notes the importance of maintaining owner-operator arrangements in fisheries to ensure fairness and opportunities for seasoned fishermen, rather than relying on lotteries that may not reward hard work and experience. Poole also calls for more accessible pathways for fishermen to get involved in policy and management decisions. 

He makes the case for small, owner-operator fisheries: “Hopefully, they can try to find a way so that people can go fishing. It’s a pretty old profession. It’s a pretty noble profession, in my mind. We’ve got a great resource here. Don’t just turn it into a factory production floor. Keep it small. Keep individuals fishing. We’re a foodie city. We’re a fresh fish and food capital. But we can’t go fishing and catch the fish. You have to do it on a factory boat, essentially. Explain to me how this makes sense. There’s a market, and there’s no reason not to have small, sustainable fisheries, in my mind.”