Josie Eaton of Deer Isle Maine: The Endangered Lobstermen

The Endangered Lobstermen photo series continues with a portrait of Josie Eaton, a 4th generation lobsterman from Deer Isle, Maine. Josie’s story reflects both the timeless traditions of the Maine lobster industry and the urgent challenges that threaten its future.

“I’m a 4th generation fisherman, taught by my Dad,” Josie shared. “I pulled my first trap when I was 8 years old, and when I was 14, I became partial owner of the F/V Sibling Rivalry with my siblings.”

Her love for the water is deeply ingrained. “The best part of being out on the water is the sound of the waves, the flip of lobster tails, the sight of other boats, and the overall calm it brings,” she said. But alongside that beauty is a stark reality: “The hardest part is when you can’t even make enough to cover your expenses. When it’s good, it’s great. When it’s bad, it’s really bad.”

Like many Maine lobstermen, Josie believes the future of the fishery depends on protecting the resource through responsible fishing. “The most important thing lobstermen can do is respect the regulations on size limits and eggers. Throw back the shorts, v-notch, and return the reproducers,” she explained.

At the same time, Josie is frank about the strain that heavy regulations place on working fishermen: “No other job I know of has specific times or days when you’re not allowed to work. We want to work—it’s our job. Let us work like everyone else.”

For Josie, lobstering has been more than just a job—it’s been a life-shaping force. “Lobstering has taught me to be independent, to work hard, and to stand up for what I believe in. It’s also taught me that I prefer to be my own boss, work on my own schedule, and often, work alone.”

As she heads off to college, Josie plans to keep her ties to the sea. “After college, I’ll still keep my connection to lobstering. I’ll be sending in for my commercial license at the end of the summer, after I complete my 1,000 hours. I’ll maintain that license because even though it’s not my planned career, I intend to fish every summer while I’m in school. Salt water runs through my veins, and I want to have the ability to fish whenever I choose. I also want to keep my captain’s license as a backup, in case my career path changes.”

Josie’s story highlights both the resilience and vulnerability of Maine’s fishing families. Her portrait is now part of the Endangered Lobstermen project, an ongoing documentary series I began to shine light on the people at the heart of the Maine lobster industry—an industry that has supported generations but now faces economic, environmental, and regulatory pressures.

Through these portraits, I aim to preserve the voices and faces of lobstermen like Josie Eaton, while also raising awareness of the challenges that threaten their way of life.

About the Endangered Lobstermen Series

The Endangered Lobstermen series is an ongoing project by Cheryl Clegg Photography documenting the lives, stories, and traditions of Maine’s lobstermen. These portraits and narratives aim to create a visual record of a community facing uncertainty while celebrating the resilience of fishermen who continue to carry this heritage forward.