This article is a part of 12-piece series for The Times’ 2025 “Year in Review.” Click here for the print version.
Before there was “Jaws,” before there was tourism, before there was a seasonal economy — before there were European settlers, even — there was the sea. The Island’s identity is by definition maritime, and in 2025, The Times has especially celebrated the role of fishing, boat-building, and other open-water industries in its reporting.
The charter of the Fishermen’s Preservation Trust is, in its own words, “safeguarding Martha’s Vineyard’s fishing heritage and future by supporting the Island’s small-boat, owner-operated fishing fleets and their sustainably harvested catch.” To promote their message and inspire engagement, the Trust, along with Catherine Walthers, created a beautiful and eye-opening book, “Sea to Table,” full of stories, recipes, and information about the mission to sustain the working waterfront.
As well as the fishing and shellfish industries, we lift up the world-renowned wooden boat builders Gannon & Benjamin, as they take stock of their long history and turn their attention to the next generation.
Other headlines:
Gannon and Benjamin set sail on a new voyage
A lifetime of craft and community built Gannon & Benjamin