Book Scholarships

The 2022 In-Person Forum has been cancelled due to Covid concerns
We provide book scholarships to students of families who work in the Maine fisheries

2022 Book Scholarship Application (PDF)
2022 Book Scholarship Application (PDF Fillable)
2021 Awards Winner List (Word)
2021 Awards Winner List (PDF)

The Maine Fishermen’s Forum is very pleased to announce that the Board of Directors awarded $40,000 in scholarships in 2021, despite having to cancel the live event normally held in March.

The funding for these awards  was generated from our online Scholarship Auction, donations from past Forum attendees, fishermen and organizations.

We will be holding another scholarship drawing in March of 2022.  Candidates must complete the Forum application, be in at least their second year of college or a vocational school, and will need to submit a transcript along with the application.  Scholarship applications will be available on this website on July 1st, or by sending a SASE to Maine Fishermen’s Forum, PO Box 288, Bath, ME  04530.  Applications can also be requested by calling (207) 442-7700.  Prior winners are not eligible for this scholarship opportunity.

The deadline for submitting an application is Thursday, March 3, 2022.  If there are any questions, please contact Chilloa Young (coordinator@mainefishermensforum.org), or call 207-442-7700.

The scholarship drawing will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2022.  Winners will be announced on the Forum website and on the Forum Facebook page.

“Thank You for awarding me a scholarship book award at the 44th Maine Fishermen’s Forum. I am deeply grateful for the generosity of our fishing community, and I have immense pride in the hard work and dedication that made this fishing scholarship possible. I will be entering my senior year at Harvard College, and am thankful for the role that this award plays in reducing the financial burden of higher education.”

“I want to write and personally thank you for your scholarship through the Maine Fisherman’s Forum.  I received one of your $6,000 scholarships and I am so grateful for your generosity.

I am currently finishing my sophomore year at Grove City College in Western PA with a major in history and a minor in bible and religion.  I am a thirteenth-generation Mainer and a third-generation lobsterman.  My experience growing up on the coast of Maine surrounded by my family’s history is what prompted me to pursue history.

For as long as I can remember, I have been surrounded by the ocean and boats.  This summer, I am coming back to Maine to fish on my sister’s lobster boat in the Blue Hill area.

My sister and I grew up going to the Maine Fisherman’s Forum every year with my father and grandfather.  Those memories of driving to Rockland and running around the forum “talking shop” with the two of them are still some of my favorite memories.

I want to come back to Maine with my degree and start a business creating more comfortable marine gear.  In this way, I hope to invest in Maine’s future and build a stronger and more vibrant fishing industry.

Thank you for your generosity and for fueling my dreams.”