Maine is one step closer to permanently setting aside a day to honor the commercial fishermen who have lost their lives at sea.

Rep. Holly Eaton, D-Deer Isle, is sponsoring LD 2069, an act designating July 21 as Maine Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day, a bill that would formally establish the annual observance in state law. In a written statement, Eaton said the bill “honors the Maine fishermen who’ve lost their lives at sea,” sharing that while Gov. Mills proclaimed July 21 “Lost Fisherman’s Remembrance Day” last year, the legislation would ensure the day is recognized every year going forward.

Eaton wrote, “This bill would set that day in stone going forward, ensuring we annually remember those who we have lost.”

The first observance took place on July 21, 2025, in Lubec, where roughly 150 people gathered at the Lost Fisherman’s Memorial beside the town dock. Event organizer Lix Michaud opened the ceremony by reading from the governor’s proclamation, which recognized the real and constant risk fishermen face from unpredictable weather, treacherous waters, and the physical demands of the job.

For Michaud, the date holds deep personal meaning, as shared by Maine Public. “Two years ago today, our family lost Tylar. He was fishing by himself on a foggy morning,” she said during the ceremony. Tylar Michaud was 18 years old and weeks away from starting at Maine Maritime Academy when he passed. In response, his aunt founded Green and White Hope, a nonprofit focused on search-and-rescue recovery efforts and fishing safety education.

The Lost Fisherman’s Memorial itself bears more than 120 engraved names, with additional names added in 2025. Four Downeast Maine fishermen- Chester and Aaron Barrett, Jaxson Marston, and Alton Wallace- have died in fishing accidents.

Public testimony on LD 2069 was heard in Augusta in January; if passed, the bill would make July 21 a permanent, annual day of remembrance for the state’s commercial fishing community.