Dozens of fishermen, family members, and friends gathered on the Lubec, Maine, waterfront on Monday to honor the lives of commercial fishermen lost at sea.
The ceremony, held at the Lost Fishermen’s Memorial overlooking the working harbor, served as a solemn tribute to those who never returned home — their names etched in stone on the memorial itself.
Organized by Green and White Hope Inc. founder Liz Michaud, the event also served to announce Gov. Janet Mills' proclamation of July 21, 2025, as Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day.
Following a formal presentation of the colors by the Maine Marine Patrol Honor Guard, the event featured a lineup of speakers with deep ties to Maine’s fishing industry and maritime safety, including Bill Case, founding member of the Lost Fishermen’s Memorial Committee; John Roberts of Fishing Partnership Support Services; and Carl Wilson, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR).
"We should never forget those who gave their lives to this calling… Some names are etched here in stone. Others live on only in stories, in photographs, and in the memories of those who loved them," said Wilson. "Their loss is felt deeply, not only by their families, but by the entire Maine fishing community — because in towns like Lubec and others on our coast, when one fisherman is lost, we all grieve."
Wilson noted that the DMR’s Commercial Fishing Safety Council will continue to guide efforts to improve safety training, education, and outreach for Maine commercial fishermen.
Also addressing the crowd were Pat Shepard and Josh Duym of REDDE Marine Safety Systems, State Representative Tiffany Strout, Anne-Marie Sokoloski of Sogelco International, and Monique Coombs of the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association.
"Fishing is not just a job. It’s a way of life — one that shapes families, towns, and generations. And when something happens out there on the water, it ripples through all of us on shore," said Coombs. "We feel it in our homes, our harbors, and our hearts."
Honored during the ceremony were Tylar Michaud, Jaxson Marston, Alton Wallace, and Dwayne Alley, lost fisherman whose names have been added to the monument, as well as Chester and Aaron Barrett, who were lost this past scallop season.
The event sparked controversy after the Lubec Fishermen’s Memorial Committee — made up of non-fishermen — refused to include the Barretts’ names on the memorial, claiming they weren’t “actively fishing” at the time of their deaths. The father and son were transiting between scallop grounds with fishing gear on board when they drowned on Jan. 18.
The committee's decision outraged the fishing community, with locals demanding the omission be corrected.
“I have every reason to be encouraged that this wrong will be righted,” said Michaud. “It’s just so unfortunate that it’s caused a lot of pain and heartache for so many people and seemingly put a shadow on the monument that doesn’t need to be there. I want to do what I can to remove that tarnish as I live in Lubec, and I know the sincerity of intention by those that established it.”
"When Chester and Aaron Barrett were lost, I had a hard time not imagining my own husband and son, and when Tylar Michaud was lost, I had a hard time not seeing my own kids," said Coombs, whose husband and two children fish.
"There are families like the Barretts and young fishermen like Jaxson Marston and Tylar in every Maine fishing community — young people who love the ocean, who grow up working hard alongside their families, who carry the future of this industry in their hands.
"I worry about my kids, and I know so many of you carry that same quiet worry, too."
