The Lift All Boats Project
Very few of Maine's 4,500+ lobstermen are from diverse backgrounds. While there are no laws that exclude historically disadvantaged individuals from getting their lobster license, the only way to become a commercial lobstermen is to wait on a decades long wait list or complete a student lobster license program. In 2022 we launched Lift All Boats; a student lobster mentorship program in Portland, Maine. Lift All Boats guides local students through their required lobster licensing hours and gives them access to the gear, knowledge and mentorship from lobstermen and industry professionals that they need to complete their student lobster license—resources typically only available to families of current lobstermen.
