Women in the Fisheries: Carli Stewart

Carli Stewart, 28, is a new mother, a fisherman’s daughter and a fisherman’s fiancé. She works as a content specialist at National Fisherman magazine, a position that she clearly enjoys. “I get to tell people’s stories,” she said enthusiastically. More specifically, she tells the stories of the lives of fishermen and their communities, from Alaska to Maryland, with the insight that comes from being part of a fishing community herself.

Stewart grew up on Casco Bay’s Long Island, daughter of lobsterman Craig Stewart. “My brother [Cody] and I are fourth generation fishermen. I grew up going with my dad,” she said. “Everyone in the family fishes.” Her fiancé, Joe, owns three offshore lobster vessels and one groundfish boat, which operate out of Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Carli Stewart and her fiancé, Joe

“I always wanted to learn the ‘why?’ I was never afraid to ask questions. I really loved knowing what my dad did and why. My dad said that it’s a way of life. You commit to fishing with your whole self,” Stewart said.

After elementary school she lived off the island to attend school in Cumberland, then returned to the island for the summers. As Stewart completed her final year in high school, her mother moved back to her native Indiana. Stewart soon followed to attend the University of St. Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

“I loved college, but I hated the Midwest. There was no ocean,” she said. After completing her degree in communications and public relations in three years, Stewart quickly returned to Maine in 2019.

A young Carli on her dad's boat. C. Stewart photo.

Like many young people just out of college, she didn’t quite know what to do. “I bartended for a while, all fishermen’s bars, and got to hear a lot of stories. Then everything shut down [due to the Covid pandemic.] I started a decal business doing lettering for boats and other businesses called C-Cals Maine. My dad always made me paint his letters and I have a creative touch from my mom. So that opened the door to meeting other fishermen, including Joe,” Stewart said.

“I always said that I’d end up back in Maine’s fishing world. I don’t fish but I am passionate about it. So, when I found the National Fisherman job I thought ‘Wow, this is a great fit’.”

Stewart began writing for the magazine, now entirely online, in 2023 and soon understood that the nation’s diverse commercial fisheries have certain elements in common. “Even among the huge dragger boats in Alaska, it’s still a small community. They all know each other. It’s a way of life, like lobstering is here in Maine,” she said. Many communities are struggling to retain working waterfronts or to fend off other challenges that affect their ability to fish.

Left to right: Craig, Cody, and Carli Stewart. C. Stewart photo.

Her reporting has allowed her to do what she most likes to do: listen to the stories of fishermen and their families. “It gives me some sort of comfort because it’s like sitting with dad and my grandfather, hearing their stories. My dad has always said that he learns something new every day he fishes. And that’s what I’m doing.”