The Maine Coast Fishermen's Association (MCFA) seeks a dynamic individual with the requisite
experience, passion, and tenacity to drive and support various projects that engage commercial
fishermen and other stakeholders in the fisheries sector. This role presents extensive
opportunities for our new Director of Fisheries Resilience to make an immediate impact while
also developing significant and supportive projects for local fishermen, waterfront businesses,
and Maine's seafood economy.
The Director of Fisheries Resilience will spearhead MCFA's initiatives to enhance local access to
permits and quotas and will innovate and implement solutions to ensure business stability for
Maine's fishing enterprises. In this role, the Director will manage projects related to the
administration of MCFA’s permit bank and quotas, which include the distribution of quotas,
acquisition of new holdings, and associated collaborative research aimed at achieving these
objectives. There may also be opportunities to support other ongoing MCFA initiatives that aim
to protect Maine’s working waterfronts and expand markets for underutilized species.
Key responsibilities include:
• Building and nurturing trusted relationships with fishermen and partners.
• Developing and disseminating outreach materials and strategies to inform fishermen,
partners, and other stakeholders.
• Monitoring changes in regulatory policies, seafood markets, and the business climate that
could influence fishing business strategies.
• Collaborating with fishermen and partners to identify future opportunities for permits,
business, and access.
• Implementing processes to invest in identified opportunities or to develop appropriate
frameworks to support these investments.
• Organizing and managing logistics for meetings, workshops, and educational events.
• Attending relevant meetings and workshops, and sharing insights with MCFA staff,
fishermen, and project partners.
• Engaging fishermen in scientific and data collection projects that support business
resilience.
• Assisting the Executive Director, Director of Strategic Initiatives, and project team
members in efforts to secure donations and investment capital.
Focus Areas:
Permit Banking: MCFA is enhancing its management of permit bank assets to increase access to
quotas for Maine fishermen. We are collaborating with Catch Together, a national coalition of
community-based fishery organizations, to raise capital and develop innovative governance
structures that secure fishery access for local communities and foster opportunities for the next
generation of fishermen.
Business Stability: MCFA often coordinates with partners on collaborative research,
opportunities in the seafood economy, and diversification projects for the working waterfront.
The Director of Fisheries Resilience will collaborate with MCFA staff and partners to ensure
these projects are executed efficiently and consistently provide positive experiences for
participants.
There is potential for the individual in this position to advance into a leadership role as MCFA's
support for fisheries business, access, diversification, and resilience continues to grow.
Other duties as assigned.
Skills and Experience:
• 3-5 years of professional experience in a relevant field (e.g., fisheries, marine science,
financial modeling, market-based solutions), with coalition-building experience
preferred.
• Understanding of fisheries, ideally with exposure to permit/quota-based systems.
• Proven project management skills and demonstrated organizational abilities.
• Strong writing and interpersonal communication skills, adaptable to various audiences.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable with self-directed work and advancing ambiguous
projects.
• Experience in cultivating and maintaining diverse relationships.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with competing demands.
• Fundraising, impact investing, and/or constituent management experience is
advantageous.
• Proficiency with technology and software solutions, including expertise in data analysis
with Excel.
Starting salary range: low to mid $60Ks, depending on experience
To apply: Review of applications will begin May 1 and continue until the position is filled.
Please email your resume, with a brief but thoughtful cover letter that reflects why you are
interested in the position and how your experience would be relevant to:
info@mainecoastfishermen.org.
Your subject line should be your name and the job title.