Today, the New England Fishermen's Stewardship Association (NEFSA) is excited to announce new leadership. Aaron Williams, a third-generation fisherman, will be taking over as President. Williams succeeds Jerry Leeman, who has resigned as CEO. As captain of the F/V Tradition, Williams has 25 years of experience fishing for fluke, scup, squid, and whiting, and sails out of Stonington, CT. John Drouin, a lobsterman of 46 years from Cutler, ME, will serve as Vice-President.
NEFSA greatly appreciates the time and dedication that Jerry Leeman has committed to our important cause, and we wish Jerry the best in his future endeavors.
These are critical times for New England fishermen; we face several existential threats to our families, livelihoods, and industry. We will continue to fight against expanding “ropeless” fishing, harmful forms of ocean energy development like offshore wind and carbon capture, and misguided efforts to restrict access to essential bait species such as menhaden, squid, mackerel, and herring. Protecting access to these vital resources is not only necessary for our industry’s survival but also for sustaining the communities that depend on them.
NEFSA is a leading voice for New England’s fishing communities and shares that they will continue to stand strong as an independent advocate, defending our traditions and safeguarding the future of the next generation of fishermen.
