I’m a field scientist for the Cooperative Research Branch and come from a long line of Gloucester fishermen, although no one in my immediate family took up the trade. My favorite aspect of my job is working collaboratively with fishermen. My second favorite thing is listening to their stories.
I’ve sailed often aboard the F/V Miss Trish II to update the conversion factors for groundfish species. On my most recent trip, I asked the crew, “How did you start out fishing and what keeps you coming back time and time again?” Here’s what they had to say.
Lenny, Captain
Lenny Russo is the captain of the F/V Miss Trish II out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. It’s a family owned and operated vessel—a rarity among large commercial trawlers these days. His very first trip was during the summer when he was just 13 years old. At the time, his father was harder on him because he was his kid and he didn’t want the rest of the crew to think he was getting special treatment. After completing a construction management associates degree, a recession led him to take up fishing on the family boat. In his first trip he made $5,000 in 5 days and never looked back. For a young 22 year old, that was a lot of money, especially when jobs out of college were only offering him $30,000 a year. But, fishing isn’t always a lucrative business. During his second year he brought home far less than the first. It made him realize you have to really save for those rainy days or years due to the inconsistency of fishing.
After 7 years in the fish hold he was ready for more and left to become first mate aboard the F/V Theresa Marie IV out of Portland, Maine. He ended up in Alaska for a year as a deckhand where he bought a boat and permit for the salmon fishery there. During the off season, he came back East. He first worked out of Boston, Massachusetts, and later captained the F/V Harmony out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, for a few years.
“I wanted to learn from a bunch of people. In Gloucester, we do it differently than people in Boston and they do it differently from the Mainers.”
Since his father's retirement, Lenny now captains the family boat full time. After many years of doing the grunt work, his favorite aspect of being captain is being able to wear his flip flops in the dead of winter.
Andrew, Deck Boss
Andrew was 19 years old when he quit his job at a pizza parlor and ended up on a commercial trawler out of Portland, Maine. He stuck with it out of stubbornness. The crew at the time was trying to break him and he was determined, thinking “stick it out…you can’t beat me!”
When asked what his favorite aspect of the job is, Andrew said, “There’s a certain pride you get in it. You do a lot of hard work and it's a vast repertoire of knowledge you have to draw on. It’s empowering and fun and it makes you an exciting person. ”
As with ups, there’s drawbacks to everything and the hardest part of the job is “Time away from family, friends, and loved ones. That really is the one that kills. If there was anything to push me away from this it would be that.”
Avery, Crew and Cook
Avery has known Lenny since childhood. So when he got a call from him one day with an offer to come fishing, he took the chance. This is his second year on a commercial trawler. He also takes on cooking duty on the boat, providing full-spread breakfasts and homestyle dinners while working around the clock fishing.
When asked what keeps him coming back. Avery said, “The money for the most part. It’s peaceful out here, too. I like the view. Sleep, work, and eat—it’s a solid routine.”
There is a certain simplicity to life without distractions, that I welcome myself, each time I’m out to sea.
Patrick, Crew
On how it all started for him, Patrick said “I was at a music festival and ended up running into a friend of mine. I spent the entire time with him and his buddies from the North Shore. We’d stay in touch through playing video games. For years they begged me to come out to Gloucester. One day I finally did it and visited during the Saint Peters Fiesta and fell in love with the place. Then I found out how much money I could make fishing. I became a lobsterman for a couple months and then started working here when Lenny got back from Alaska.”
Since starting in fall 2025 he hasn’t missed a single trip. “The money is too good to turn down and they feed you well out here. Also, the fresh seafood I get to bring home. The perks are so much better. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop.”
Sal, Crew
Sal comes from a Sicilian fishing family, but got into fishing later in life, roughly 30 years ago.
He was working in carpentry and people told him they were making decent money fishing, so he tried it. “I liked it at first, then hated it, and now I’m okay with it,” he said with a chuckle. His favorite aspect of the job is mending the net, a skill that is dying among younger generations. “There’s only a few of us left that can mend and splice.”
He took a break from fishing for roughly a decade because he was missing his son a lot. “The money is worth it if you’re single. But if you’re married or have a girlfriend, it takes a lot of time from your relationship. Head wise, it’s a challenge, your body has to be set on going out 7–8 days, it takes a toll on the mind.”
Further Reflections on Why We Go to Sea
As for me, the pull towards the ocean is almost inescapable, like a strong tide that sucks you back out again. The feeling of being out on the open ocean is one that is freeing and grounding all at once. Maybe it’s in our blood—a lingering instinct tethering us to this drawing force. Or maybe it’s the stripped down simplicity of life unplugged from the outside world. Perhaps the ocean still provides the grounds to pursue the American dream. One where you can put in the gruelling work and reap the benefits of harvesting bounty from the untameable. Whatever it is, those that hear the call of the sea turn east time and time again in answer.
