Meet the organization helping Lewiston kids get into the lobster industry

Maine Students Get a Taste of Lobster‑Fishing with New Apprenticeship Program

Casco Bay – 26 August 2026 – Three teenage students, working aboard a lobster‑trapping vessel in Casco Bay, are learning the ropes of Maine’s iconic seafood industry through a summer apprenticeship program that has opened doors for a new generation of fishermen.

Carlos, 20, a Central Maine Community College student from Lewiston, hoisted a set of lobster traps onto the deck of the Sea Smoke. He carefully inspected each crab‑like creature, placing the ones that met the industry’s size and egg‑bearing criteria into a blue barrel. Any lobster that did not qualify was tossed over the side by Ryan or Gidilson, the other two crew members who joined him on the boat.

The trio—Carlos, 20; Ryan, 17; and Gidilson, 17—are among 32 students currently enrolled in Lift All Boats, a program founded in 2022 by Ben Conniff, co‑creator of the popular restaurant chain Luke’s Lobster. Lift All Boats aims to give high‑school and college students the skills and experience needed to earn a commercial lobster‑fishing license—something that, under Maine law, normally requires a mentor sponsor or a lengthy wait‑list.

“Students who have trained with Lift All Boats have filled vacant jobs as sternmen for existing fishermen,” Conniff said. “So the program is not just serving a need for students who otherwise lack access; it’s also serving the current fishing community as well.”

The program’s curriculum, delivered by a team of educators—including Cape Elizabeth schoolteacher Wylie Muller, and former fishermen Brett Brown and Matt Ranaghan—spans 24 months. Participants must complete 1,000 hours of instruction and 200 days of fishing. Those who finish the full cycle can skip the state’s wait‑list and apply for a commercial license, a rare opportunity for someone without industry contacts.

“By the way the students are paid $25 a day for their time on the boat, and they can keep or sell what they catch,” Muller explained. “We want to expose them to the water and see if they want to get into it. If it turns out they want to lobster or fish, that’s just one of the million things they can do on the water.”

The Sea Smoke is a typical lobster‑trapping craft that drops and retrieves large nets filled with bait and traps. On the day in question, Ryan was seen lowering a trap into the bay, while Gidilson filled bait bags with small fish known as “pogies” for the traps. The trio, alongside other beginners and more advanced students, spent the morning hauling and sorting the catch before heading back to shore.

Students come from a variety of backgrounds. Ryan and Gidilson are Deering High School seniors, while Carlos was a sophomore at Central Maine Community College. The program also recruits through local non‑profits such as Tree Street Youth in Lewiston and a branch of the Boys and Girls Club, making it the first formal partnership to bring students directly to the pier.

For many of the students, the experience has shifted career trajectories. Janelle, who works as the program’s student coordinator and is studying art at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, said, “Not everyone is the child of a lobsterman or woman, so you don’t know until you go out there. The first day I stepped on the Sea Smoke, it changed the trajectory of my life.”

Carlos, who had never considered a career on the water before the program, added, “I love getting to work with incredible crewmates and having the chance to pull the traps and see the lobsters—or sometimes sea stars and other fish—that end up in the traps. Being on the water is beautiful, too.” He is now majoring in environmental studies, hoping to combine his love of the sea with a professional career.

Ryan, however, clarified that lobstering is not his ultimate goal. “I don’t want a career in lobstering,” he said, although he still intends to earn the full 1,000 hours of experience and may eventually hold a student license.

Gidilson, who has spent three to four years in the program and logged about 400 hours, remains open to the possibility of a future license. “I’ll miss the program when I go back to school this fall,” he said, “but I still might end up in the industry.”

As of 2024, Maine’s commercial fishing sector includes 5,341 licensed fishermen, 806 student license holders ages 8–22, and around 195 apprentices working toward a solo license. Lift All Boats seeks to increase that number by offering a path to a commercial license for students who otherwise would not have the connections to enter the field.

Over the past five years, Lift All Boats has expanded from an initial cohort of four to a current enrollment of 32. The program receives about 100 applications each year but can only accept fewer than 15 students. While it is still early to gauge the long‑term impact on graduates, several participants plan to complete the program and pursue full licenses.

With its blend of hands‑on training, mentorship from industry professionals, and support from local educational institutions, Lift All Boats is carving a new route into Maine’s lobster industry—one that may help diversify the workforce and keep the maritime tradition alive for years to come.