45 Years Of Innovation and Partnership With Maine's Lobstering Communities

Jane Lanzillo

When the first rolls of Aquamesh® left Riverdale Mills’ factory in 1980, they were shipped directly to Maine lobstermen. The fishermen who worked the rocky coasts from Portland to Eastport were the earliest adopters and strongest advocates of this new wire mesh. They quickly recognized what would soon become clear across the industry: welded wire traps could far outlast and outperform the wooden gear that had defined lobstering for generations.

Over the past 45 years, Riverdale Mills has forged a deep partnership with Maine’s lobstering communities, built on trust, collaboration, and a shared connection to the sea.

Jim Knott Jr., CEO of Riverdale Mills.

“Our success began with a commitment to the hardworking men and women of the Maine lobster industry who were willing to try something new,” said Jim Knott Jr. “It’s those enduring relationships, built on trust, quality, and shared purpose, that have anchored us for 45 years.”

The story began in the early 1970s, when Jim Knott, Sr., a part-time commercial lobsterman, looked out over a working waterfront and saw potential for change. Wooden traps were heavy on deck, vulnerable to shipworm damage, and prone to drifting in the stormy waters of the North Atlantic.

Knott and his son, Jim Knott, Jr., believed there had to be a better way. Rolling up their sleeves, they developed Aquamesh®, a marine-grade welded wire mesh engineered to withstand the ocean’s harshest conditions.

It was Maine lobstermen, working out of Stonington, Vinalhaven, Rockland, and Friendship, who helped prove the concept. They found the traps to be strong, corrosion-resistant, and long-lasting, as well as lighter, safer, and far more durable.

Their willingness to test and trust the new gear transformed not only their own industry but lobster fisheries across North America. Today, more than 60% of all lobster traps in North America are built with Aquamesh.

“Aquamesh supports sustainable fishing and helps preserve a way of life in coastal communities,” said Knott. “That’s what makes our 45th anniversary, especially on the heels of National Lobster Day, so meaningful to us.”

From the bustling piers of Portland to the busy harbors of Stonington and Bass Harbor, Riverdale’s mesh has become as essential to the modern trap as the bait inside it. For many Maine families, the durability of Aquamesh is directly tied to the stability of their businesses and the sustainability of the fishery.

Based in Northbridge, MA, Riverdale Mills today operates a 400,000-square-foot facility that produces more than 3,500 configurations of welded wire mesh for industries including marine, aquaculture, agriculture, construction, and perimeter high-security. The company uses thousands of tons of steel annually and maintains a strict commitment to sustainability, recycling nearly all steel byproducts and producing part of its power from clean hydroelectric energy.

While 40% of Riverdale’s products are exported globally, to markets such as Ireland, Scotland, and the UK, its identity remains deeply tied to Maine’s lobster fishery.

As the state celebrates its fishermen on National Lobster Day, September 25, Riverdale Mills celebrates alongside them—honoring the past, investing in the future, and standing firmly with the lobstermen and women whose ingenuity and determination have defined Maine for generations.