DMR Commissioner Carl Wilson Joins Industry Members and, Friends and Family During Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day

BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine - Yesterday, DMR Commissioner Carl Wilson joined dozens of fishing industry members, their families and friends in Boothbay Harbor to commemorate fishermen who lost their lives at sea, as recognized by a new law that establishes July 21, 2025 as Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day. The event, coordinated by Green and White Hope, Inc Founder Liz Michaud, was held at the Fishermen's Memorial Park in Boothbay Harbor and featured speakers including Governor Mills. who stated "Every commercial fisherman in Maine risks their safety to make a living on the water for themselves and for their families, contributing at the same time to one of our most iconic industries and to our way of life. It was my honor to sign legislation establishing Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day this March — making Maine one of the first states in the nation to do so — to remember the fishermen we have lost, honor their lives and offer our comfort to their loved ones, and recommit to doing everything we can to keep our fishing community safe from harm."

A copy of Governor Mills' press release can be found here.

Commissioner Wilson's remarks are below:

Good afternoon.

Thank you all for joining us for the second annual Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day.

While this is the second such event, it is the first time this day has been proclaimed by law.

This important occasion is also being recognized with an event in Lubec and wreath layings in communities up and down the coast

We are deeply grateful to Governor Mills for her proclamation of July 21st as Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day and her signature to make it a law. I’d also like to thank Representatives Tuell, Eaton, Hepler and Strout, and Senator Moore for co-sponsoring the bill that enshrined this day in statute.

I’d like to recognize any of our state legislators here today, including the members of the Marine Resources Committee whose work is so important to the Department of Marine Resources and to Maine’s fishing industry.

Any members who are here, please raise your hand. Thank you all and for your dedication to the health, wellness and safety of Maine’s fishing community.   

Today we once again gather to pay tribute to Maine fishermen for whom the sea was a way of life, but who tragically did not make it home.

Sadly, in the past year four more names have been added to the list of Maine fishermen lost at sea as recorded on monuments across the region.

As Governor Mills mentioned, in January, Freeman Short of Presque Isle was one of seven crew members lost at sea when the fishing vessel Lily Jean sank off the coast of Gloucester.

This past April, Thomas West of Steuben died while working on his lobster boat, Aces and Eights.

In May, Stephen Johnson of Machias lost his life when a wave capsized his boat while he was harvesting periwinkles.

Last month, Marshal Ames passed away after he fell from the boat he was crewing on.

The tragic loss of these men underscores the dangers the entire Maine fishing community faces every day on the water.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States with a fatality rate over 40 times higher than the U.S. average.

But still, they risk their lives to feed and support their communities, and to provide for their families.

We should remember not only how they died, but how they lived – with dedication, a strong commitment to family and community, and a deep respect for the ocean.

The sea gave them purpose and shaped their lives.

Despite the dangers they confronted each day on the water, they faced those challenges with bravery, sacrifice and hope.

To the families and friends of Freeman, Thomas, Stephen and Marshal who shoulder the burden of their loss, there are no words that can fill the emptiness. But I sincerely hope you can find comfort in the knowledge that their lives touched many people.

We will continue to honor their memory by working together to prevent the tragedies that took the lives of these and too many other Maine fishermen.

The Maine Marine Patrol works tirelessly to support safety on the water and to respond rapidly with both expertise and compassion when fishermen are in trouble.

DMR’s Commercial Fishing Safety Council will continue to guide efforts to improve safety training, education, and outreach for Maine commercial fishermen.  

If there are members of the Council here today, please raise your hands. Thank You for your service.

We will also continue to work with other organizations like Green and White Hope, established in memory of lobsterman Tylar Michaud.

We’re proud that there are so many other organizations who share our dedication to the safety of Maine fishermen including the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, the Sunrise County Economic Council, the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association, the Island Institute, the University of Maine and the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, among others.

While July 21st will forever be a day of solemn reflection, I am grateful for the groundswell of support that has brought so many here today in dedication to a safe future for Maine fishermen.

May those we have lost rest in peace. And may those who continue to fish return home safely to the people who await them with love.

Thank you.