Meet the MLA's New Board Members

Jordan Drouin, Cutler

Jordan Drouin, 29, comes from a longstanding fishing family. His father, John Drouin, and grandfather, Ray McKeen, took him out with them when he was a boy. Like so many Downeast lobstermen, Drouin started with small boats, fishing inshore, until he was able to purchase his current boat, a 44-foot Calvin Beal, for lobstering offshore.

Jordan Drouin

Drouin has watched as lobster landings in Hancock and Washington Counties have steadily increased. “Things are good. The catch is a lot more than it used to be. The boats are a lot bigger, lots more advanced electronics,” he said. He’s also noticed that many of the lobstermen in his area have grown older and are ready to retire. While younger men and women still enter the fishery, there’s some hesitation among his peers.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty in general. Some of the fishermen are kind of discouraging their children from getting into it as their first option. More regulations are the main worry,” he said. “My parents always said not to put all your eggs in one basket. But I just like fishing.”

Getting involved in the world of regulations was something that Drouin saw a lot of growing up. His father was very active in the fishery, serving on the Lobster Advisory Council and Zone A lobster council. “I’ve seen the behind-the-scenes stuff my whole life,” he laughed. In 2017, Drouin participated in the MLA’s lobster leadership program to learn about aspects of fisheries science and management. When Kristan Porter recently asked him to serve on the MLA board, Drouin didn’t hesitate to say yes.

“We definitely need an organization that can fight for us. It’s good to have new blood involved to reinvigorate things and keep the fight going.”

Jacob Knowles, Winter Harbor 

Jacob Knowles, 31, started going out on the boat with his father when he was 5 and got his first skiff when he was 13. Today he is the fifth generation in his family to lobster, fishing the same waters as his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. In recent years he has become well-known on TikTok, where he has created short videos explaining all about lobster fishing. Knowles now has about 3.2 million followers on TikTok and 830,000 followers on Instagram. 

Jacob Knowles

Viewers from around the world follow Knowles’ videos, which teach the details of the lobster industry, from V-notching, lobster anatomy and science to boat and gear maintenance. “I stumbled into a passion for filmmaking and content creation back in high school. At first, it was just a hobby. I loved making YouTube videos about things I enjoyed,” he said. “When short-form content blew up in 2020, it became a lot easier to film right on the lobster boat. That made it possible for me to post more often, and the videos quickly took off.”

Educating through his videos and being informed about what’s happening in the lobster industry is part of Knowles’ reason for joining the MLA board. “Over the years, I’ve reached out to the MLA to make sure the information I share in my content is accurate,” he says. Coming from a long line of lobstermen, Knowles also sees the importance in helping to shape the future of the fishery. “I want to see the lobster industry thrive for generations to come. I believe that means younger fisherman need to get involved.”

Christian LaMontagne, Long Island

Christian LaMontagne, 25, found his way into lobstering when he was a teenager. When he was 14 he had the good fortune to work as a sternman for Long Island lobsterman Donny MacVane, who at that time was 89 years old. MacVane was a well-known and highly respected lobsterman who took the young man under his wing.

Christian LaMontagne

“I remember I went over to Donny’s house. He took me down to the wharf to see if I could swing a trap four high. He showed me how to use leverage to do it, to do things smarter, not harder,” LaMontagne said. “Working with him I learned a good work ethic and got an outlook on life. He told stories and I absorbed them like a sponge.” He fished with MacVane for three summers and then with MacVane’s son Tom for four. After graduating from high school he attended Bowdoin College and applied for his commercial lobster license. Then in 2022 LaMontagne put in his name for a coveted Maine scallop license. Much to his amazement, he received a license that year.

“I bought a 34-foot Wayne Beal and rigged for scallops and lobsters. I’ve been full-time two years now, scalloping and lobstering,” he said. He also has been attending the University of Southern Mane where he recently graduated with a Master’s degree in public policy, planning and management.

LaMontagne was asked to join the MLA board by exiting Board member Craig Stewart; he quickly agreed. “I’ve been interested in fisheries management for a while. The lobster fishery is one of the only fisheries overall that’s still a success story. It’s resilient because lobstermen want to leave something for their children and because there’s been smart policy and management,” he said. “I want to be a part of good policies. What are we going to look like in the future?”