In the wake of tragedy, Gloucester’s fishing community has proven that the strength of the working waterfront extends far beyond the docks.
Just days after the fatal accident aboard the F/V 25 to Life claimed the life of 26-year-old scallop fisherman Jaxson Marston and left fellow deckhand Jamie Bailey seriously injured, the Northern Gulf of Maine (NGOM) scallop fleet and the wider Gloucester communities launched a powerful response rooted in solidarity, generosity, and love.
Marston, a young father with another child on the way, was fatally injured on April 25 while fishing off the coast of Massachusetts. Bailey, also injured in the incident, remains in recovery. The loss shook the NGOM fleet, a tight-knit group that gathers in Gloucester every spring for the region’s short but intense scallop season.
“It’s hard to describe how heartbreaking this is,” said Tess Browne, owner of Cape Ann Lobstermen. “But what’s followed- it's everything that’s good about this industry.”
In the hours and days after the accident, fundraising efforts came together swiftly. A GoFundMe was launched for Marston’s partner, Kameron, their one-year-old daughter, Kingsley, and their unborn child. Another campaign was started for Bailey’s road to recovery. Then the fleet got to work the way it knows best- by giving back from the day’s catch.
As boats returned from their final trips of the season, NGOM crews donated 50-pound bags of scallops to Cape Ann Lobstermen in Marston’s honor. Brown and her team organized the donations and directed proceeds toward the family.
“We are the working waterfront. We are family. We take care of each other. Today we take care of the family Jaxson leaves behind,” NGOM fisherman Jesse Roche shared in a post titled “A bag for Jaxson.”
On Friday, May 2, Cape Ann Lobstermen and The Lobster, a seafood restaurant in Gloucester also owned by Tess Browne, hosted a community benefit night, donating 50 percent of all proceeds to the families of Marston and Bailey. Patrons packed the restaurant, ordering meals and making additional donations through artwork sales and QR codes linking to the GoFundMe campaigns.
By Saturday morning, the results were in- and staggering. The NGOM fleet and Gloucester community raised a combined total of $110,973,33 in less than one week.
- $87,445.85 came from donated bags of scallops
- $8,060 was given directly to Cape Ann Lobstermen
- $1,080 from a special “Land and Sea” entrée
- $13,012.48 from 50 percent of gross sales during the benefit night
- $585 from donations of Joe’s Fresh Fish Prints and Fish Impressions
- $790 in cash donations from patrons
“When tragedy strikes it’s often hard to look past it and see the positive light at the end of the day,” Cape Ann Lobstermen shared on social media. “But this past week has shown the true spirit of the fishing community and the city of Gloucester.”
In the face of heartbreaking loss, Gloucester’s working waterfront came together not just in mourning, but in action- honoring one of their own the best way they know how: with heart, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to taking care of their own.
To continue to support Jamie Bailey’s recovery or help Jaxson Marson’s family, visit their GoFundMe.
