THOMASTON — On June 7, more 80 fishermen, friends, and partners gathered at the Slipway in Thomaston for a special occasion that has been 10 years in the making. The Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, an industry-based nonprofit in Brunswick, celebrated a decade of dedication and hard work on behalf of Maine’s small-boat groundfish fishermen. 

The Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association was started by a handful of small-boat groundfish fishermen (those who catch fish like cod, haddock, and flounder) out of Port Clyde in response to a dramatically changing ecosystem and the loss of fishing opportunities for the next generation of Maine fishermen. Since its inception, MCFA has expanded to work with fishermen throughout the state in groundfish, scallop, herring, and shrimp fisheries but came back home to celebrate. At the Hook, Line and Dinner event held at the Slipway, guests were treated to fresh lobsters, corn, and potatoes grilled up by The Slipway chefs along with locally caught Maine Halibut.

 “We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to celebrate this great anniversary with friends, family, and colleagues,” said Ben Martens, executive director of the organization, in a news release. “We have done a lot of growing over the past 10 years but the real hard work still lies ahead. We are so thankful for everyone who turned out for this event and excited to dig in for another 10 years of fishing for Maine’s fishermen.”

“If it’s important to have working fishing communities on the coast of Maine, the fishermen need to make sure that they are out in front and fighting for that way of life. That’s why we do this work; we love Maine; we love our communities; we love our fisheries and we want to make sure that our sons and daughters have the same opportunities we did,” said Gerry Cushman, fisherman and board President of MCFA, in the release.

Sponsors for the event included Purse Line Bait, Northeast Marine Supply, and National Fisherman. Hannaford of Waldoboro gave a generous donation of leafy greens.

The Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association (MFCA) is a fishermen led non-profit organization that identifies and fosters ways to restore the fisheries of the Gulf of Maine and sustain Maine’s iconic fishing communities for future generations. As stewards of the marine ecosystem, MCFA fishermen promote the ecological and financial sustainability of fisheries through balancing the needs of the current generation of fishermen with the long-term environmental restoration of the Gulf of Maine. MCFA works to achieve these goals through advocacy, education, outreach, and collaborative research projects.