Fostering Growth of the Southeast’s Commercial Seafood Industry
A two-year project in NC, SC, and GA — funded by NOAA Sea Grant’s 2023 “Young Fishermen’s Career Development Projects” competition — put near-term goals of the South Atlantic Planning Framework into action.
Expand Career Pathways into Commercial Fishing
The project team piloted a South Atlantic Regional Commercial Fishing Academy, hosted by Carteret Community College, that trained new entrants into the commercial seafood industry, complete with hands-on training through on-water paid apprenticeships.
Industry hosts included:
- Endurance Seafood, Oriental, NC
- Captain Jim’s Seafood Market Inc., Morehead City, NC
- Miss Gina’s Fresh Shrimp, Beaufort, NC
- Family Tithes LLC, Sneads Ferry, NC
- Seaview Crab Company, Wilmington, NC
- Seven Seas Seafood Market, Murrells Inlet, SC
- PWY II SEAFOOD LLC, Mount Pleasant, SC
- Abundant Seafood, Mount Pleasant, SC
- F/V Four Lane, Townsend, GA”
Managing Risk and Ensuring Safety at Sea
Commercial fishing is a high-risk occupation with a fatality rate far exceeding the national average. The project team provided hands-on, industry-tailored safety training for current and future commercial fishers while also certifying a new wave of local instructors. This work was done in partnership with the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA), the U.S. Coast Guard, and regional collaborators to ensure trainings are relevant, scalable, and sustainable.
Commercial marine insurance is a financial defense for any business whose operations are focused on the ocean. The team facilitated a learning exchange between cross-sector seafood industry representatives and “hard-to-place” insurance underwriters in the South Atlantic. These sessions aimed to simplify insurance options, identify local barriers, and produce user-friendly educational tools, such as a regional FAQ, to support broader access.
What About Insurance?
Resources for Commercial Fishermen
