08/23/2026
Meet MLA Member and Delegate, Jim Bartlett! 🦞
For more than 60 years, Jim Bartlett has been a Massachusetts lobsterman making his living on the water — continuing a tradition that started alongside his father when he was just a young boy.
What started as a young boy joining his father on the water eventually became a lifelong career, spanning more than 60 years in the lobster industry. Today, he continues to fish out of Beverly, Massachusetts, aboard the F/V Pamela B, a boat he had custom built 40 years ago.
After six decades on the water, it’s not just the fishing that keeps him coming back — it’s the people. He says one of the things he loves most about lobstering is the opportunity to meet and build relationships with people throughout the industry and the coastal communities that surround it. Being part of an organization like the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association has also given him the opportunity to stay connected, give back, and play a role in supporting the industry he has dedicated his life to.
When asked about his favorite memory from his years on the water, Jim doesn’t hesitate to talk about his sternman of 26 straight years. He talked about how he never missed a day of work, worked hard, and over the years became much more than a crewmember — he became a close friend. For him, it’s those lasting friendships and connections that make a lifetime of lobstering so special.
Today, Jim continues to give back to the industry as an MLA Member and Delegate, while also serving on the MLA Boat Review Committee. After more than 60 years on the water, his story is a reminder that lobstering is about so much more than the work itself — it’s about family, tradition, friendship, community, and the people who make up this incredible industry.
