"The value of a fisherman, in a place like Portland or Orr's Island or Port Clyde, or any place on this coast, is worth saving... Becuase it identifies really who you are, and if you don't know who you are you are going to go through life with a lot of uncertainty." -- Willis Spear, commercial fisherman The Maine Coast Fishermen's Association is dedicated to working with fishermen to sustain Maine's fishing communities for future generations.

Togue Brawn of Downeast Dayboat is a Maine scallop evangelist working to rebuild the fishery and bring the gospel (scallops) to the people! "We need to do a better job here in Maine of getting our story out there. We have, here in Maine, exactly the type of producer that people want to connect with... we have what people want and we need to do a better job of letting them know that." www.downeastdayboat.com

Meet David Wilson, Harpswell Harvester “Just make sure if it’s warm out you’ve got bug spray. You head out in your boat usually two to three hours low tied, then you just get it over with as quickly as you can.”

Introducing 14 year old Lexie Saxton, Lobsterman, from Harpswell, Maine. Here's to all of the amazing kids who want to fish for a living and are willing to put in the work to make their dream a reality. MCFA is working to ensure Maine has healthy marine resources, vibrant fishing communities, and a future filled with leaders and stewards like Lexie. Learn more about our work and support MCFA on our website, www.mainecoastfishermen.org. Produced in partnership with Knack Factory

Learn about how harvesters ensure that the alewives fishery is sustainable in this Hard Tellin'.

We heard the song The Irene in Hard Tellin' The Irene Part 1. Now hear the story behind the song from the band in Hard Tellin' The Irene Part 2.

Hard Tellin' The Irene. Whether you are a groundfish fishermen, scalloper, shrimper, or lobsterman, you know the hard work and drive it takes to not only learn how to fish and fish for a living, but to own a boat that is your workplace and sometimes your home. The Irene, written and sung by Maine's own The Mallett Brothers Band, is a song that resonates deeply and sounds so good. Stay tuned later this week for Hard Tellin' with The Mallett Brothers Band when Will, Luke, and Andrew (half of the band) share the story of writing the song and what Maine and fishing look like to them. From the song: I worked on my father's old fiberglass diesel almost from the time I could stand... I was raised doing it the old way. I was made to spend my life on the sea. On this 40-ft lobstering vessel I call The Irene.

Harvesting alewives in Maine is a long-standing tradition and a big part of the culture of the fishing industry. Once upon a time, fishermen used nature and the weather as signs of seasons changing and a way to know when to switch fisheries and the alewives arriving was a big part of that. This Hard Tellin' video shows how cool alewives are, and how important the species and run is to many fishermen's livelihoods, and way of life.

Meet Don Lindgren, owner of Rabelais, Fine Books, Food + Drink. In this episode of Hard Tellin', Don shares the a bit about the history of lobster in recipes and cookbooks. Maine has quite the history with seafood in cookbooks. From funky sounding fish casseroles to elegant dishes like Coquilles St. Jacques, not only is fishing a part of Maine heritage, it's a part of the dinner table and family traditions, too.

James Beard Foundation award winner, Mike Wiley, shares the importance of local seafood to the dining experience. Mike won the JB Award with partner, Andrew Taylor. They own Big Tree Hospitality (with Arlin Smith), the group behind Eventide Oyster Co., Hugo's Restaurant, and The Honey Paw. All three restaurants are found on Middle Street in beautiful Portland, Maine.

Alex Todd is a 10th generation fisherman from Chebeague Island, Maine and he agreed to let MCFA and Knack Factory tag along for a scallop trip in January of 2017. Maine has a unique fishing culture that few get to experience beyond the delicious seafood that's the culmination of generations of experience. We hope that by sharing these videos you experience and appreciate the many ways Maine's fisheries shape our culture, communicates, and way of life. This is the first of many awesome videos from the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association and Knack Factory.

Sabin Lomac, Cousins Maine Lobster, shares how important Maine is to his business that he started with his cousin, Jim Tselikis. These successful participants who appeared on NBC's Shark Tank, have taken Maine lobster on journey across the US, and have been so happy with the feedback and results. MCFA and Knack Factory explore this amazing story because just as the fishing industry is important to Maine, Maine is important to the fishing industry. Our beautiful rocky coasts, cold waters, and Vacationland way-of-life are appealing to fishermen and visitors alike.

Alex Todd, Chebeague Island fisherman, shares a story about an evening when a quarter of the town came out to help. "The fishing community everywhere sticks together... you don't see that in a lot of other industries."