Cheryl Clegg

The Endangered Lobstermen

In my series, “The Endangered Lobstermen” I am photographing the families that are at risk of losing their livelihood and their way of life because of impending regulations to the lobster fishing industry in the state of Maine.Lobster fishing is a family business. It is not just one person in the family who fishes, it is the entire family whose livelihood revolves around the lobster industry.If you are part of a lobster fishing family, most likely your parents, grandparents, great grandparents and great great grandparents were also lobstermen & you started fishing as a youngster.Lobster fishing is what has always been done and is a way of life on the coast of Maine.

In the state of Maine, there are 5,000 commercially licensed lobstermen and 1,085 licensed student lobstermen who find themselves facing new regulations that will threaten not only their livelihoods but also the very essence of their way of life.

Note: This is an ongoing series since Sept. 2022