The Maine Coast Fishermen's Association seeks funding to create a series of short videos that will be used to tell the story of issues such as climate change, fishing heritage, the future of fishing, and local seafood. We are working with the Knack Factory, a production company based in Portland, Maine, to develop a thoughtful and cohesive story-line. Knack will also be producing the videos.

These videos will be used via social media, shared with colleagues and partners, and screened at MCFA events. The project will culminate with a longer documentary, as well as, a virtual reality film where people will be able to follow a fish from the boat to a processor to a market to a restaurant – from the fish’s perspective.

We chose videos to tell these stories because video inherently resonates and moves people to action more frequently and visual content resonates more strongly and creates a strong sense of empathy. Ultimately, videos are a preferred avenue for receiving information when it comes to education.

Our goals are: 1.) Portray climate change impacts via a fisherman’s perspective to engage other fishermen and alter the story being told of fishermen and climate change; 2.) Engage consumers in a more relatable and accessible way; 3.) Share stories from various parts of the industry to develop a more well-rounded view of the industry. (This will include women in the industry, arts, trends, culture, restaurants, conservation efforts, and community.)

About the nam: Hard Tellin' is common nomenclature amongst fishermen in Maine. It means "I"m not sure" or "it's hard to tell without more information." When asking people about the future of fishing this is often the answer from fishermen. It's a nod to fishermen, the uncertainty of their future, and the efforts they are making to conserve their industry.

Maine Coast Fishermen's Association works with small-boat, community-based fishermen that live and work in Maine.