New Bedford: The Most Lucrative Fishing Port in the U.S.

The sound of flowing ice rips through the mild New Bedford air. Captain Jessica Walker, 36, and her crew sit on the deck of their fishing vessel Legacy waiting for the nearly three-hour icing process to finish. They will likely need all this ice to store their catch. Their target: scallops. Scallops are among the most popular targets for commercial fishermen on the east coast.   

An hour south of Boston lies the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts. With a population a shade over 100,000, this coastal town is one of the most important cities in America. The Port of New Bedford is the largest and most lucrative fishing port in the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) releases an annual report on the health of the fishing industry in the United States, and for the last twenty years, New Bedford has topped that list. America’s second-ranked fishing port, Naknek, Alaska, earns roughly $200 million less than New Bedford.

Modern commercial fishing in New Bedford began in the early 1900s, replacing the whaling industry. Sails powered early fishing vessels, but as the industry grew, more and more were powered by motors. This technological advancement helped propel the fishing industry into what it is today.  

The Port of New Bedford has seen many changes to the fishing industry in recent times, from whaling to textiles to fishing, industry is what has kept New Bedford’s economy thriving.  

“We have all the things that support a fishing economy here to a degree that is far greater than anything else on the East Coast,” said New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell in an interview with Media Milwaukee.  

According to Mitchell, the Port of New Bedford generates around $11 billion in direct and induced economic output each year and supports the jobs of nearly 7,000 people.  

As the industry has grown, so has outside interest. Fishing has long been a local industry, with vessels being owned by those who live in the area. In New Bedford, most commercial fishing vessels are owned by companies that have no other ties to the site. One of the largest investors in the New Bedford fishing industry is Blue Harvest Fisheries. Based in New Bedford, Blue Harvest appears to be a local company making great strides in the industry. Dig a little deeper and you find that Blue Harvest Fisheries is owned by Bregal Investments, the private equity investment business of COFRA Holding AG, a Dutch holding company. One fisherman we talked to stated that only a few commercial fishing vessels today are privately owned. 

Most of the fishermen in New Bedford do it because that’s what their father did. The money can also be very attractive. 

“I’d go out five days and make $12,000,” said former Captain Alan Curtis. “The last trip I made was last summer, I went out six days and made enough money to pay my rent for the year.”  

“This is an industry where you still have to commute to work,” said Mitchell. “The commute isn’t sitting in traffic for half an hour, the commute in this industry is a life-or-death proposition.” 

The fishing industry in New Bedford isn’t just the backbone of its economy, it’s cultural identity. 

Laura Orleans is the Executive Director of the Fishing Heritage Center in New Bedford. 

“We don’t have a lot of space, but we have a lot of stories,” said Orleans in an interview with Media Milwaukee.  

“In 2004 I started a festival with a group of community people that took over the waterfront for a couple days every year. The festival showcased waterfront skills like scallop shucking, fish filleting, and cooking. This festival was really impactful, but it was a two-day event, and the rest of the year people would forget we had a fishing industry.” 

Of the dozens of fishermen interviewed, one theme rang true: freedom. For most, freedom was the driving force behind why they choose a job that is one of the most dangerous in the world. Another reason many choose this profession is that it can be extremely lucrative. Scallops can cost anywhere from $11-$35 a pound and some boats can return with a haul of 35,000 lbs. or more.  

While this profession can be financially beneficial, it is taxing on families.  

“The fishermen work hard; they’re gone for weeks at a time catching fish and being away from their families,” said Guy, the owner of Lobster Pot, a seafood restaurant in Cape Cod, MA.  

Having a healthy work-life balance has become an essential part of everyday life, but for the fishermen of New Bedford, it may be more difficult than most.