Published by WABI on May 13, 2026.
SOUTH THOMASTON, Maine (WABI) – New advancements are propelling an industry steeped in tradition forward.
As dock manager of Spruce Head Fisherman’s Co-Op, George “Casey” Morrill says he never thought he would see electric boats on Maine’s working waterfront.
That changed when the co-op partnered with Island Institute, alongside Fogg’s Boatworks and ePropulsion Americas, on an initiative launched two years ago: putting the state’s first high-voltage, electric motorized workboat used by lobstermen to work.
“The Island Institute has been working to set Maine up to be a national leader around electrified boats,” explains Island Institute senior community development officer Lia Morris. “We’re a little bit over 20 boats at this point that we’ve helped get on the water in the last five years, but this is the first high-voltage electric outboard that we know of operating in the lobster fishery here in Maine.”
The 16-foot electric skiff Wattson has been used by the co-op to bring captains to and from their boats and to haul lobster crates since it hit the water last month.
The goal of the project is to move the commercial fishing industry forward, both in terms of profitability and environmental stability.
“So obviously, there’s no fuel. So the co-op managers and the captains are not carrying fuel. They’re not breathing the fumes. [The motor is] quieter,” Morris describes. “We want the lobster fishery to have stable costs, we want boat yards along the coast to be able to fabricate vessels, and also be able to operate their yards with more stable costs.”
