Telling the story of the Fishing Industry
—Past, Present and Future.

Now on View!

Casting A Wider Net: A Community Oral History Project

Open thru May 2025 | Casting A Wider Net shares stories of communities of color that have been and continue to be an integral part of New Bedford’s fishing industry.

Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Public Sail — September 28

Set sail aboard the historic Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey this September! LIMITED TICKETS -- reserve your spot today!

September 28, 2025

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 10, 2025

AHA! Night: SMAST Student Research Showcase

Visit the Center to meet current SMAST students and learn about ongoing research impacting the commercial fishing industry.

April 18, 2025

Dock-u-mentary: A Watershed Moment

A Watershed Moment is a story about people, fish, and the water that connects them.

April 30, 2025

Seafood Cooking Class with Gui Aguilar

Join FHC and Chef Gui Aguilar of 222 Union for a seafood cooking class at New Bedford Voc-Tech.

DOCUMENTING AND PRESERVING OUR COMMUNITY

New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center’s community documentation work preserves and presents the rich history and culture of the local fishing community.

A growing collection of interviews, photographs, documents, video footage, and artifacts captures the experiences and knowledge of generations of fishermen, shoreside workers, and their families, ensuring their stories are passed down to future generations. Many of these materials have been digitized and are uploaded in our online collections database.