By Harriett Train
From Downeast to Casco Bay, Maine’s working waterfront united on July 21 to honor commercial fishermen lost at sea during the first Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day observed since the annual observance was established in state law.
Fishing communities across the Maine coast marked the occasion with remembrance ceremonies, wreath layings, and moments of reflection. Public ceremonies were held at The Lost Fishermen’s Memorial in Lubec and at Fishermen’s Memorial Park in Boothbay Harbor, while remembrance wreaths were laid at commercial fishing memorials in Pleasant Point, Stonington, Rockland, Marshall Point in Port Clyde, Bailey Island, Georgetown Island, Chebeague Island, and Portland. Together, the observances transformed Maine’s working waterfront into a coastwide tribute to generations of commercial fishermen lost at sea.
Signed into law by Governor Janet Mills on March 19, 2026, Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day permanently designates July 21 as an annual day of remembrance. According to Green and White Hope, Maine is believed to be the first state in the nation to establish a statewide day in law honoring commercial fishermen.
While ceremonies were held across the state, one of the day’s largest gatherings took place at Fishermen’s Memorial Park in Boothbay Harbor. It a classic Maine coast day—with gray skies, the sun peeking through, the ever-present threat of rain, and a harbor filled with quiet reflection—set the backdrop for the ceremony. Despite the uncertain weather, there was a palpable sense of mutual support as fishing families, industry members, first responders, elected officials, and community advocates gathered with a shared purpose.
Governor Janet Mills joined Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Carl Wilson, members of Green and White Hope, the Maine Marine Patrol Honor Guard, local officials, legislators, and families and friends of fishermen lost at sea. The ceremony honored four Maine fishermen who lost their lives while working on the water over the past year: Thomas West of Steuben, Stephen Johnson of Machias, Marshal Ames of North Haven, and Sgt. Freeman Short of Presque Isle.
“Every commercial fisherman in Maine risks their safety to make a living on the water… contributing at the same time to one of our most iconic industries and to our way of life,” Governor Mills said.
Commissioner Wilson urged attendees to remember the lives behind the losses.
“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,” Wilson said. “The sea gave them purpose and shaped their lives.”
Hosting the Boothbay Harbor ceremony was Liz Michaud, founder of Green and White Hope, a Maine nonprofit established in memory of lobsterman Tylar Michaud. The organization works to improve commercial fishing safety through education, collaboration, and the advancement of lifesaving practices while honoring those lost at sea.
“Maine’s commercial fishing industry has shaped our communities, our economy, and our identity for generations,” Michaud said. “Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day gives us a chance to honor those we’ve lost, stand with the families and communities who carry their memory, and renew our commitment to helping more fishermen return safely home.”
Following the ceremony, attendees gathered on the waterfront for a live safety demonstration by REDDE Marine, showcasing self-rescue techniques and innovative safety equipment designed to improve emergency response. The demonstration reinforced one of the day’s central messages: remembering those lost at sea also means continuing to invest in the training, technology, and partnerships that help protect those still making their living on the water.
As wreaths rested at memorials from Lubec to Portland, Maine’s working waterfront closed the day united in remembrance and in its commitment to a safer future for the state’s commercial fishing community.
