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Dave Cousens of South Thomaston is a lobsterman and the former president of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. Steve Train has been a commercial fisherman his entire life and resides on Long Island.
As fishermen gather this weekend at the annual Fishermen’s Forum in Rockport, we are reminded that while plenty of politicians stop by to shake hands and snap photos, only a few return year after year because they truly care about the future of our industry.
We have spent our working lives as lobstermen and as advocates for our industry, our neighbors, and the future of Maine’s coastal communities. We have seen storms devastate our waterfronts, businesses struggle under regulatory uncertainty, and fishing families face wave after wave of challenges.
Through it all, we have learned to recognize the difference between political convenience and real commitment. Real leadership shows up, listens, and delivers. We believe that leader is Hannah Pingree.
Hannah understands our industry because she grew up in it. The daughter of a boat builder, she was raised in an island community where fishing isn’t a slogan, it’s a way of life. She ran a small business, served on the school board, and is now raising her own children in the same island community.
We first met Hannah when she represented many of Maine’s largest fishing ports in Knox and Hancock counties. She served on her local Lobster Zone Council and consistently fought for practical, common-sense management. As speaker of the Maine House, she was a strong voice for protecting working waterfronts and ensuring fishermen had a seat at the table.
Later, as director of the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, Hannah helped lead Maine Won’t Wait, strengthening our state’s coastal resilience against rising seas and extreme weather. She launched the Community Resilience Partnership, helping more than 260 towns and tribal governments invest in infrastructure, clean energy, and storm preparedness — saving taxpayers money while protecting our communities.
When devastating storms hit in 2023 and 2024, Hannah helped secure $60 million in recovery funds — including $25 million for working waterfronts — the largest storm relief investment in Maine history. Those funds were a life-saver for fishing fleets up and down the coast. Hannah also helped establish a commission to rebuild and strengthen critical infrastructure so we are better prepared for the storms ahead.
Beyond the waterfront, Hannah has worked to expand affordable housing, lower health care costs, invest in career and technical education, and support addiction recovery — issues that directly affect fishing families and rural communities.
We have watched Hannah bring fishermen, scientists, and local officials together to find common ground. She listens. She asks tough questions. She cares a lot. And she turns ideas into action. That’s what will happen not just at the Fisherman’s Forum, but as a constant when she’s governor.
The future of Maine’s coast and our industry is uncertain. Extreme weather is reshaping the infrastructure, the coastline and ocean where we make our living. Federal regulations threaten our future. Gentrification is pricing working families out of the very coastal communities they built. Fishermen and coastal residents will need a governor who deeply cares about these places and is prepared to help us navigate change without losing what makes our communities strong.
Maine needs a governor who understands our fishing industry, our coastal economy, respects our traditions, and is ready to meet the challenges ahead. Hannah Pingree has proven to us that she can do exactly that.
That’s why we proudly support her for governor.