Rockland seafood landings hit record lows

Seafood landings in Rockland, Maine, have reached record lows, according to data from the Maine Department of Marine Resources. In 2025, the city landed less than 2.1 million pounds of seafood, valued at under $4.6 million. This represents a significant decline from 2024, when 7.1 million pounds were landed with a value of $6.7 million, and a massive drop from 2016, when landings totaled 33.7 million pounds valued at nearly $21.1 million.

Arthur “Hutch” Hutchinson, manager of the fish pier, suggested that restrictions on the number of days fishermen are permitted to catch herring may contribute to the decline. Historically, Rockland's volume was dominated by herring and menhaden.

To address the downturn, the Rockland City Council is scheduled to vote on October 14 regarding an application for a $300,000 Seafood Adaptation Fund Grant. If approved, the city would match the grant with $15,000 from the fish pier reserve account. The funds could be used for infrastructure such as cold storage and energy efficiency investments to support the regional seafood supply chain, which includes approximately 85 lobster boats and various other commercial vessels.