New to her series, The Endangered Lobstermen, a series of portraits depicting the men, women, and children who lobster fish off the coast of Maine. The lobstermen face the risk of losing their livelihood and way of life due to changes and challenges in the lobster industry. Each lobster boat operates as an individual business, with fishers self-employed and navigating these challenges while grappling with the uncertainty of lobstering’s future profitability. This ongoing series documents the families in Maine’s lobstering villages, showcasing the human side of the industry amidst new regulations and the impacts of climate change.
Shown here:
The Watt Family
“I’m a 2nd generation lobstermen and have been a part of the Maine lobster industry my whole life. Lobster fishing is a community effort out here. We all help and teach each other and each other’s kids. I started fishing with my father, then jumped around learning how everyone does their own thing. I grabbed what I liked from each boat that I worked on. I have been on my own for 10 years. The biggest challenges I face as a lobstermen are rules and regulations that get harder to follow every year. On this island this is all we have for jobs once you are invested in the business like most of us are. The future of the industry is worrisome. I try to be optimistic but just from what I have seen happen in a short amount of time I have been looking and preparing to maybe(hopefully not) to have to leave this island to support a family of six.” -Jake Watt F/V P.AR.A.DISE 2nd generation lobstermen Vinalhaven, Maine
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