Diversifying to Thrive: How One Young Fisherman Is Shaping his Fishing Career

As you wander through a coastal New England town, glimpses of its maritime history are everywhere. Fishing boats bob gently in the harbor, lobster shacks line the shore, and galleries display vivid paintings of our working waterfronts, celebrating a culture built on the sea. Coastal New England is proud to be known as a seafood destination and this legacy paints a picture of an everlasting fishing industry still abundant and thriving. 

In reality, the story is more complicated. Our fleet of domestic harvesters is shrinking, pressured by aging fishermen, high costs of entry, and the uncertainty of regulations and environmental change. Yet, the new generation of fishermen and women is stepping up, bringing new ideas, resilience, and determination to keep working on the water. One of these young changemakers is Michael Scannell, a fisherman and aquaculturist who is challenging old stigmas and diversifying what it means to make a living from the sea.

From Portland, Maine, Michael Scannell’s fishing journey began in diapers with a rod and reel in hand. Casting for striped bass in Saco Bay wasn’t just a pastime; it was the spark that lit a lifelong love for the ocean and working on the water. That spark carried him onto commercial groundfish, longline, lobster, and crab boats, where he learned firsthand both the challenges and the rewards of fishing for a living.

Eager to understand not just how to fish, but how to protect the future of fisheries, Michael went on to study Marine Affairs at the University of New England. His coursework in conservation, law, and policy gave him a deeper appreciation for the history of New England’s fishing communities and the delicate balance between tradition and sustainability.

Today, Michael fishes out of Saco, Camp Ellis, Kennebunkport, and Yarmouth. While still working on a lobster boat, Michael has also embraced aquaculture, raising kelp, oysters, and scallops. He manages one of the largest oyster farms in southern Maine, Madeleine Point Oysters, while running his own scallop farm. For Michael, aquaculture was an opportunity to stay on the water. Faced with a long waitlist for lobster licenses and the uncertainties of the industry, he turned to farming the ocean. It’s a path that has kept him grounded in the blue economy while opening new doors for innovation, resilience, and community.

Michael doesn’t just work on the water, he also advocates for the small-boat commercial fishing industry. Over the past year, he’s spoken at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum and even in Washington, D.C., where he highlighted the importance of workforce development programs that helped carve his path into the blue economy. For Michael, these programs have been life-changing. They opened doors that allowed him to fully pursue his career on the water, and because of that, he feels a responsibility to give back. The most impactful part of this advocacy, he says, has been the connections. Networking introduced him to organizations that value his perspective and invite him to share his story with the public while helping to educate people about the challenges fishermen face today. One of the challenges is personal: the shrinking working waterfront in his home of Camp Ellis. “The harbor used to be filled with commercial boats, now it’s mostly recreational,” Michael reflects. Being a young fisherman, he decided to become a change-maker and part of the solution to protect the working waterfronts. 

For generations, fishermen have had to adapt. Financial ups and downs, seasonal closures, and shifting markets have always pushed working waterfronts to diversify. Older captains remember the days when you couldn’t rely on just one species, you might dive for urchins in the fall, shrimp in the winter, cod in the spring, and lobster in the summer. That reality hasn’t gone away. In fact, it’s more pressing than ever. Michael believes diversification is the key to survival in today’s fishing industry. “You can’t just fish one species anymore,” Michael says. “That’s what I’m trying to do with aquaculture and lobster. It’s not straying away from commercial fishing, it’s just the reality of making ends meet today.” He sees aquaculture not as competition, but as part of the solution. “We need to move away from the ‘either/or’ mindset—traditional fisheries vs. aquaculture. They can coexist, and together they make the seafood system stronger. I want to be part of that future for Maine and New England’s blue economy.” Michael’s journey shows that the future of New England’s fisheries depends on resilience, adaptability, and active stewardship.

By embracing diversification, supporting working waterfronts, and engaging in advocacy, the next generation of fishermen can ensure that commercial fishing remains a vibrant part of our coastal communities. As Michael emphasizes, it’s not about choosing between traditional fishing or aquaculture, it’s about working together to strengthen the seafood system, preserve livelihoods, and protect the oceans that sustain us.