10/26/2026
This past Thursday, Eastern Maine Skippers Program (EMSP) Coordinators Kimberly and Matt Larsen hosted the annual EMSP cohort meeting at the Alamoosook Lakeside Inn. Around 60 students attended, representing DISHS, Jonesport-Beals, Sumner, GSA, North Haven, Vinalhaven, and Ellsworth.
Before the gathering, student teams designed minnow traps to set in the lake, then presented their designs and received feedback. The project was a warm-up for their upcoming semester-long challenge: designing innovative fish pots, as introduced by Tom Duym.
After setting the traps, students heard from a panel of marine industry members: Captain Dwight Carver of Jonesport, Marine Patrol Officer Dan Vogel of Orland, and MCCF Research Associate Anwen Hudson of Deer Isle. They answered students' questions about their work and gave the younger generation insights on different careers on the water. The day wrapped up with "Mariner Olympics," a round of team-building games.
As our fisheries and coastal communities change, fostering resilience, innovative thinking, and collaboration in young people matters more than ever, and gatherings like this help us do exactly that. The day wouldn't have been possible without the tremendous effort of the Larsens and the amazing EMSP teachers. Special thanks to the Alamoosook Inn, the community members who joined us, and the MCCF staff who helped out.
