A Maine memorial for fishermen who die at sea is under fire from a downeast family who lost two relatives earlier this year.
The controversy over the Lost Fisherman’s Memorial in Lubec overshadowed the state’s first-ever Commercial Fishing Remembrance Day on Monday.
The family of two scallopers who drowned when turbulent waters overcame their boat are angry the dead men’s names will not be engraved on the memorial.
The committee overseeing the memorial ruled the men were merely moving their boat, not working it, when they died.
Chester and Aaron Barrett, father-and-son Addison fishermen, were taking their scalloper from Edmunds to South Addison six months ago when they ran into rough weather, never making it back to shore.
The vessel, Sudden Impact, was found in the water off Trescott several days later, along with the body of Chester Barrett.
Aaron Barrett was never found. The Barretts were moving the boat at the time, preparing to go dragging.
But because they were not technically fishing at the time, the committee has denied the family’s request to add their names to the granite sculpture honoring fishermen who have died off Washington County.
Barbara Sellitto, memorial president, said the committee engraves names only of fishermen actively working when they died.
The issue is whether the men were fishing or in transit.
Relatives of the Barretts reject that reasoning.
Every day on the water is a working day for commercial fishermen, they say.
Moreover, the boat sank with gear onboard as the pair moved between moorings where they worked.
“People need to understand the life of a commercial fisherman is hard work,” said Stephanie Chambers, sister-in-law of Chet Barrett and aunt of Aaron. “It is not only what the catch of the day is, it is all the preparation.”
Chambers said she highly respects how much the memorial means to families who have lost relatives at sea.
“Today is not about the engraving decision,” she said Monday. “It’s about remembering all lives lost at sea.”
Chambers didn’t want the controversy to overshadow remembrance day, but the memorial committee’s decision has understandably left a bad taste in her mouth.
“These wounds could have been healed just a bit more with the engraving of Chet and Aaron’s names but now, no matter the outcome of any future engraving decision, these little grains of salt are always going to remain in those wounds,” Chambers said.
Established nine years ago, the idea for the fishermen’s monument first surfaced after the town was shaken by the loss of several local fishermen and lists the names of those lost at sea since 1900.
