Whales and Windmills: The Arcturus Crew

Knuckleheads is one of the last few remaining fishermen’s bars found close to the New Bedford harbor. Working men and women can be found eating and catching up with one another, often still in their work clothes and boots, fresh off the boats they fish on.  

This was just the case for Benjamin Tweedie and Garrett Thorpjornson, two scallop fishermen from Main who found their way to New Bedford to cash in on the scallop industry. Tweedie has been fishing for four years and Thorpjornson has been fishing for 12 years, originally starting with lobstering, it was the quick turn of profit that made the scallop industry so attractive. 

“You work back home to make in a couple months what we make in a couple weeks here.” said Thorpjornson 

Even with the promise of making a good living, the work is hard with days to weeks spent out on the water and grueling tasks the physical toll the scalloping industry is something both Tweedie and Thorpjornson both recognize.  

“It’s a young man’s game,” said Tweedie. “They try to push us as long as they can, I wouldn’t start this job in my 50’s.” 

When talking about the industry and all its guts and glory, it was quickly realized the future of New Bedford is slowly shrinking. Constantly under threat of natural and man-made disasters, the current fight is surprisingly against the placement and construction of windmills in the ocean and while some fishing areas remain unaffected, the men working on the boats and docks are beginning to slowly recognize the threats they pose to the industry.  

“They don’t affect us right now; we don’t fish in those areas,” said Tweedie. “But eventually they’ll affect everyone.” 

The two scallopers were kind enough to show Media Milwaukee where their boat was docked and took it as an opportunity to show Media Milwaukee reporters how the construction of windmills is already beginning to interfere with their work. As the large red truck carrying the two scallopers and two Media Milwaukee reporters passed the construction site that took about half of their dock space, taking the time to comment on the damage to the ecosystem and industry these windmills will cost the harbor. 

“Dock space is limited now so were constantly moving boats around” said Ryan Peterson, captain of the Arcturus, the boat that Tweedie and Thorpjornson work on.  

“I have nothing against them, but I don’t want them in the ocean,” said Thorpjornson. “Put them up in the mountains where it blows like a bastard.” 

The fishing industry is riddled with rules and regulations and the construction companies of windmills have been able to received different forms government permission around these protective measures, disgruntling some of the fishermen who are opposed to their placement in the water.  

“That’s another thing, say we kill a whale, we’re f*****.” commented Thorpjornson. “Those guys got allotted over 1,200 whales that they were allotted to kill.” 

Even with these concerns, the Arcturus and its crew were still going to be making their way to Nantucket Bay to fish for scallops, leaving the same hour the interview took place and cracking jokes amongst themselves and as they prepared their scallop drags and other equipment for the trip. Nothing breaks the spirits of the fishermen.