About Us

In 2022, four intrepid students, Christian, Mogga, Justin, and Joshua, joined the founders of Maine seafood company Luke's Lobster to launch Lift All Boats, a student lobster mentorship program built to give Maine students without traditional access to the working waterfront a pathway into Maine’s heritage lobster industry. These students were way out of their comfort zone, but they quickly got their sea legs. ​

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Part of the beauty of Maine's lobster industry is the tight-knit community around it. But that can also be a challenge for someone who may not have grown up in or around fishing wharves. The only realistic pathway to a commercial license is to start a student license before your 18th birthday, with the support of a currently licensed fisherman. Those outside the fishing community don't know this, and don't have the needed connections and resources if they did. These barriers didn't just hurt those on the outside--they hurt current fishermen, who are struggling to find young people to work on their boats. Lift All Boats steps into that gap, giving kids a chance to get on the water, earn their license, work with experienced fishermen, and fall in love with this cherished industry.

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Demand for our program grew rapidly, and today 41 students have been able to spend at least one summer lobstering, learning, and building lifelong bonds with peers and mentors. Most have returned year after year, and several are now working for professional lobstermen in Casco Bay.

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In 2025, Lift All Boats became its own 501(c)3 nonprofit. While Luke's is still a primary support partner, Lift All Boats needs your help to help meet the rapidly growing demand in Portland (we could only accept 10 out of 43 new applicants in 2025!) and beyond.