Published by WGME on August 23, 2025.
ROCKLAND, Maine (WGME) — Fishing for growth.
The nonprofit Island Institute is teaming up with the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs to launch the “Fishing Plus Accelerator.”
“The Fishing Plus program is really about helping fishing families explore new business opportunities to diversify their income,” Jeff Frank, a senior community development officer with the Island Institute, said.
Frank says the 11-week program will help those in the fishing community build on the skills they already have to develop and start other businesses.
“We know that the lobster industry has its ups and downs, and this is an effort to help those families diversify their income and help make sure their household becomes resilient,” Frank said.
The program is part of Island Institute’s “Broader Future of Fishing” initiative, funded through a congressional direct spending award.
Frank says it’s in response to recent trends, including new regulations in the lobster industry, that are making it more challenging for fishermen to make a profit solely on the water.
“Through this program, they would create a business plan, find out the financial needs that they would have, and they would finish the program with mentorship and access to grants to get this business up and running,” Frank went on.
Officials say climate change and rising costs are also putting more pressure on those in the industry.
It’s about this bigger picture of, ‘the oceans are changing.’ The Gulf of Maine is warming, species are migrating and changing,” Christa Thorpe, another senior community development officer with the Island Institute, said.
They say this is one way to expand opportunities and deliver solutions for Maine’s marine economy.
