The Captain - Jason Joyce

The Boat - Andanamra

All the Important Stuff About Maine Wild Caught!

The Captain . . .
Jason Joyce, a descendant of James Joyce who first settled on Swan’s Island in 1806, continues a long family tradition that began 8 generations/ over 200 years ago (click here for the Joyce Family history). Raised on the waters surrounding Swan's Island, Jason has been earning his living from the sea since graduating from school. Jason also received and maintains his U.S. Coast Guard Captain's License to operate on near coastal waters. Captain Joyce is married to his high school sweetheart and resides on Swan’s Island with his wife and their 4 children.

Captain Joyce fishes out of Burnt Coat Harbor on Swan’s Island from a wharf that has been family-owned since 1946. Purchased from R.K. Barter, it was a salt-cod business, but since that time has been the home base for 5 generations of Joyces to store their fishing gear and bait, to repair their traps, and paint buoys. Captain Joyce’s son overlooks the same view of the harbor that his great, great grandfather did while working on fishing gear over 60 years ago.

The Swan's Island Fishing Grounds . . .
The southern side of Swan's Island is an area designated as the Swan's Island Conservation Area.The trap limit (amount of traps a fisherman is allowed to tend) in this area is 475, which is the second lowest in the state (compared to 800 for most areas of the state). As a fisherman in this very restrictive area, Captian Joyce fishes his traps as hard as possible. At almost half the amount of traps others in the state can fish, the Swan's Island Conservation Area has developed a community of fisherman who, through necessity, have become smarter and more efficient with their fishing practices in order to make a living. Sustainability is more than a catch phrase here, it is a way of life.

The fishermen . . .
Whether on the water fishing, or on one of the few roads on the island, the locals of Swan's Island always have a wave and a smile. Most of the close-knit group of fisherman from Swan's Island are folks whose families have called Swan's Island home for many years. If someone is sick or needs assistance, a call on the marine radio will get multiple responses from fisherman offering a helping hand. Swan's Island is a great place to live and provides a lifestlye, and a community, that can't be matched on the mainland.

The Proof of Sustainability Videos in HD. . .
All footage is captured on the deck of Capt. Joyces working Lobsterboat the F/V Andanamra, in real working conditions. The camera angles, weather conditions, and distances from shore will constantly change depending on the season. The reality of life aboard a Maine lobsterboat practicing tried and true sustainability methods handed down over the generations remains unchanged. Education of the consumer about the already proven methods for protecting the Marine Resources that Maine's coastal communities depend on is a top priority.

The Lobster Boat . . .
The F/V Andanamra is a 38’ custom lobster boat built by its designer, Calvin Beal, Jr. from Beals Island, Maine. Launched in 2002, this vessel was constructed by experienced craftsmen to provide its owner with a vessel that can get there and back again in the safest manner possible. Calvin is one of the last lobster boat designing legends whose natural ability and strong fishing background put him on the top of the list of boat designers/builders in Maine. His utilization of the “Reverse Curve” in hull design makes for a comfortable, seaworthy vessel that is the pride of many a fisherman.Every feature on the boat is a well thought out design with the safety and convenience of the crew as a #1 priority.

Extreme weather conditions make for exciting footage for the viewer, and at certain times of the year are a daily event. Although the crew of the Andanamra may make the work look routine and easy, it is never free off danger. Commercial fishing is America's deadliest job for a reason, and the Captain has utmost respect for the ocean and its Creator. Safety always comes first.

Things you should know . . .
Lobstering is very territorial. It has been that way for many years. I fish where generations of islanders have fought to keep an area fished exclusively by islanders. That’s the way it is in downeast Maine. That is part of the way of life and I respect what past generations have sacrificed so that my generation has bottom to fish. Most fisherman respect these “rules” up and down the coast, but the offshore islanders realize more than most how important it is to protect our way of life. There is nothing else to do on an island to provide for your family, except construction/carpentry, and some of us were not blessed with those skills, but we know how to fish. It is in our blood and we, as lobstermen, have been so pro-active in regulating ourselves that we have been leaders in the fishing industry regarding stewardship.

Rather than looking at lobstering as a goldmine to be extracted from and then move on, the lobstermen of Maine have consistently fought to impose regulations on ourselves to be sure that this remains a sustainable fishery for the next generation.

Regulations such as “V-Notching” of seeded females to prevent their harvesting was an idea that came from the Maine lobsterman. Venting traps to let small lobsters escape and a measure that prevents lobsters less than 1 pound or over 4 pounds from being harvested shows the lobstermen are thinking not just of themselves, but of the resource and future generations. Still, the rising cost of expenses is making it harder and harder on fishing families trying to stay in the business.

Times are changing. People want to know where there food comes from, and how it gets from the place of origin, to their table. If it comes from the ocean, they want to know where it was caught, how it was caught, and if possible...by whom. They want to get back to the basics...away from the big markets who are simply handling massive amounts of products that they know little about. Today's health conscious consumer seeks the freshest, most naturally organic foods that can easily be distinguished by their flavor and appearance.

I strive to show through video, why Maine Wild Caught lobster is the most pure, conservation-minded, Sustainable fishery in the world, and am proud to do so. It has sustained my family for over 200 years.