Fishermen from Zone C have long believed that hatcheries can contribute to the health and sustainability of their fishery. Before the Zone C Lobster Hatchery, the Stonington Lobster Co-op operated a small, volunteer-run hatchery for a number of years in the 1980s. The Stonington Fisheries Alliance also ran a volunteer-operated hatchery. But without full-time employees, these hatcheries eventually stopped operating.

The interior of the Zone C Lobster Hatchery, shortly after construction began.

In 2003, Stonington Fisheries Alliance was working to help the island maintain its fishing industry. They wanted to do something constructive for the future of lobstering because fishermen had lost so many other fisheries opportunities and were highly dependent on lobstering. Re-starting a hatchery was something they could do locally to make a difference.

At that time, Penobscot East was just starting. Soon Penobscot East, Stonington Fisheries Alliance, Stonington Lobster Co-op and the Zone C Lobster Council were working together. After several failed attempts to secure grant funding for their idea, the Zone C Council decided the fishermen could simply do it themselves. Penobscot East Resource Center has provided the operational support for the hatchery fundraising, design and management. Additional Zone C groups later joined the effort.

The Zone C Lobster Hatchery.

It was February 2005 when Penobscot East mailed the first fund drive for the hatchery to the 915 Zone C fishermen – not the best time of year to raise money from lobstermen. Nonetheless, by the first week in August, an envelope with donations from ten Matinicus fishermen put the drive over the $25,000 goal. Additional funding for the hatchery came from private donations, local towns and fundraisers. Construction of the hatchery cost approximately $80,000, with over $27,000 donated by Zone C lobstermen and their communities. Many lobstermen sent in individual donations averaging $100.

The towns of Isle au Haut, Deer Isle, Brooklin, North Haven, Vinalhaven and Stonington have also supported the hatchery, voting money on the warrant at their annual town meetings. Other local organizations contributed as well, including area banks, businesses, and the Downeast Lobstermen’s Association. For two years running, one lobster dealer Huey Reynolds, has held a benefit golf tournament.

Marine biologist Erin Pulster paints numbers on brine shrimp tanks as the hatchery construction nears completion.

The remainder of the money necessary to build the hatchery came from Penobscot East, which secured a $25,000 matching grant from the Tides Foundation in San Francisco and provided an additional $30,000 from its operating funds

With the help of Penobscot East, the hatchery began. A 16-member Hatchery Steering Committee formed, which was made of fishermen from each district of the zone and community members representing the participating organizations.