National Fishermen
June 16th, 2025
By Paul Molyneaux
Across the U.S. coasts, various organizations offer training programs and apprenticeships designed to help young people secure jobs in the commercial fishing industry.
These have largely operated independently and out of touch with each other, but the launch of the National Future Fishermen’s Coalition (NFFC) aims to remedy that disconnect by bringing the disparate programs to one website.
“At NFFC, we’re all about collaboration,” says the organization’s coordinator, Maité Duquela. “That starts on the docks and stretches across the country.”
The NFFC has outlined its goals: Empowering young fishermen, strengthening industry networks, combating false narratives, celebrating the legacy of fishing, and championing domestic seafood. Now it has to determine how to achieve them.
“We have created this space in order to work with grassroots fishing organizations, industry partners, and coastal communities to tackle the generational and workforce challenges facing commercial fishing today,” says Duquela. “This will be materialized with a virtual interactive platform, an employee-employer hub, a virtual resource hub, and a series of tailored communication campaigns and events.”
As Duquela describes it, empowering young fishermen means helping them find the training they need in their region. “We partner with the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, the Maine Commercial Fishermen’s Association, the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island, the Gulf of America Reef Fishermen’s Association, and others,” she says. “These organizations are actively leading efforts in mentorship, policy education, safety training, and hands-on skills development. These programs give young and new fishermen a real shot at building a stable and successful future on the water.”
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