National Fisherman

Working Waterfront

The 44th Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival is taking place Feb. 14, 2026. Photo courtesy of FISH

Cortez festival celebrates Florida’s working fishing waterfront

NF Staff

Aerial view of New Bedford's commercial fishing docks. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock / Wangkun Jia

State, local authorities investigate New Bedford harbor death

NF Staff

On Friday, December 26th, a devastating fire struck the working waterfront in Portland. Fishermen and fishing businesses suffered extensive losses. Photo courtesy of MCFA

Community raises nearly $200k for fishermen after Portland wharf fire

Carli Clancy

This 21' x 8' New England built skiff is used in the Chesapeake Bay oyster fishery. It is getting a new fiberglass bottom at Jennings Boatyard Inc. in Reedville, Va. Larry Chowning photo.

Larry_Chowning

New England boats as 'icebreakers' in Chesapeake oyster fishery

Larry Chowning

A fisheries observer identifies the species of salmon that was caught in the pollock fishery in Alaska. Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries/North Pacific Observer Program

Study supports shore-based observers in Alaska pollock

NF Staff

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Photo courtesy of Joshua Sukoff / Shutterstock

Alaska waterfronts see funding gains in 2026

NF Staff

One of the Port Orford’s two new 50-ton cranes lifts a boat out of the water. Commissioned on November 30, just in time for the December 16 Dungeness crab opening. The new cranes saw a few days of 24-hour-a-day service as the boat got their traps out. Pho

Harborless Port Orford gets new cranes to lift boats onto its “Dolly Dock”

Paul Molyneaux

Linda Greenlaw’s 41-foot, cedar planked over oak frames and silicon-bronze fastened, 41-foot lobster boat Ernest hauled out at Wesmac Custom Boats prior to being refastened. Wesmac Custom Boats photo.

Michael_Crowley

A full house at Wesmac Custom Boats

Michael Crowley

Photo by NASA Science

Six decades of change on Cape Cod’s working waterfronts

Carli Clancy

The last wooden boat built at John’s Bay Boats is this 34 footer, being planked with 1-inch cedar for shop owner Peter Kass, who is retiring. Once it slides down the launching ramp, no new wooden lobster boats will be built. Jon Johansen photo.

Michael_Crowley

John’s Bay Boats building one more – for the owner

Michael Crowley

Hattie Train, senior deputy harbor master in Portland, Maine, at work in Portland Harbor in October 2025. Caroline Losneck photo.

Hattie Train: Senior Deputy Harbor Master in Portland, Maine

Caroline Losneck