About

Our mission

The mission of the Commercial Fishermen of America is to promote the common interest of the fishing industry, provide a forum to foster professional collaboration among fishermen, and educate Americans about the profession of commercial fishing.

As such, we aim to:

• Promote the heritage, values, and services of America’s commercial fishermen and the communities they support;
• Promote unity by implementing a network to support, inform, and engage American fishermen;
• Educate the American public about the importance of America’s fishermen and America’s seafood;
• Promote investment and economic development in the industry and collaborative scientific research.

Background

Commercial fishing is one of the oldest and most important industries in the nation’s history. Each year, the industry sees approximately $28 billion in dockside seafood sales alone. But that only tells part of the story of commercial fishing’s importance to Americans’ daily lives. The industry also supports countless related jobs, from boat builders to bait suppliers, which further strengthen the nation’s economy. Despite this, there has never been a strong voice that speaks on behalf of the men and women who risk their lives at sea to provide the country with seafood. The Commercial Fishermen of America wants to change that.

In creating the CFA, fishing industry leaders from around the United States have come together to work on one common goal: to build an organization that would represent the common interests of commercial fishermen in the United States. About 30 fishermen from different parts of the country and different gear sectors have come together to share their vision for a national group that promotes the values and culture of commercial fishing and the coastal communities they support. The resulting coalition, called Commercial Fishermen of America, is the product of that vision and serves as the mechanism that will give commercial fishermen more of a national presence in the minds of the public, legislators, and the media.

Many fishermen have taken part in the design of this organization and contributed their ideas to its initial framework. And with the support of public citizens, its members and board will continue to find ways to improve water quality, provide healthcare, promote the purchase of wild seafood, strengthen community infrastructure, and to enhance the fishing industry’s voice on common concerns.