S.C. Sea Grant Consortium Welcomes 2026 Cohort of Commercial Seafood Apprentices

Contact:
Matt Gorstein, (843) 953-2084 or matthew.gorstein@scseagrant.org

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 23, 2026) – The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium (Consortium) will be hosting the 2025 South Carolina Commercial Seafood Apprenticeship Program (CSAP) from May 4 to May 29 in historic McClellanville, S.C. This third cohort of eight apprentices from South Carolina was selected from 68 applicants to participate in this immersive maritime training program.

Matt Gorstein, the Consortium’s Director for Development and Extension, said, “The goal of the program is to strengthen South Carolina’s commercial seafood industry by helping train the next generation of fishermen as they get started. By doing this, we’re making sure we can keep up with the demand for fresh, local, and sustainable seafood, while also preserving the unique culture and heritage of commercial fishing along our coast. With the industry facing more challenges than ever, staying competitive means having a skilled, well-prepared workforce—and that’s exactly what this program is all about.”

McClellanville is a small fishing town economically sustained by the commercial harvest of approximately 47 species. According to the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service’s Social Indicators for Coastal Communities Tool (Jepson and Colburn, 2020), McClellanville is more reliant on commercial fishing than most communities within the geographic region of Wilmington, North Carolina, to Key West, Florida, also known as the South Atlantic Bight. Not only does the town need commercial fishing to sustain itself, but the region needs McClellanville to continue to serve as a seafood hub. Even with the deeply rooted commercial fishing heritage in McClellanville and an increase in seafood demand, the commercial fishing industry has experienced a decline in the next generation entering the workforce, resulting in a “graying of the fleet.” At the same time, shellfish mariculture has seen steady increases in production in South Carolina over the last decade, offering farmers more economic opportunities and options to remain viable in a competitive marketplace.

The project team (including the Consortium, Clemson University, the Town of McClellanville, the McClellanville Community Foundation and the McClellanville Watermen’s Association) created CSAP by building upon several years of engagement with the McClellanville community and two previously funded projects in this area. CSAP aims to address barriers to entry in the commercial seafood industry for the next generation and support the development of a sustainable workforce in McClellanville and across South Carolina.

Jeff Massey and Pete Kornack of Cape Romain Oyster Cooperative said that CSAP “will have a huge impact on commercial fishing for the entire region. It is wonderful to see this level of cooperation between local, state and federal government and the local fishing community.”

CSAP covers room and board, gear, and course materials, and includes a $1000 stipend for each graduate following completion. The program is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Sea Grant Office and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business Development Grant Program, and supported by sponsorships from the S.C. Farm Bureau, the S.C. Department of Agriculture and the S.C. Agricultural Society.

Apprentices gain hands-on training in marine safety, gear operation and maintenance, commercial fishing, and mariculture. Participants also receive a CPR, First Aid and automated external defibrillator certification, a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Commercial Fishing Drill Conductor certification and a certificate of completion from the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium. Especially crucial is the partnership with, and direct participation of, South Carolina professional watermen as hands-on mentors in the program, as their knowledge and experiences are invaluable in preparing the next generation of the commercial seafood workforce.

Find more information and materials on CSAP for the press.

Coastal Science Serving South Carolina: The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium is a university-based program that generates and provides science-based information to support the wise use and conservation of South Carolina’s coastal resources and create a sustainable economy and environment. Learn more at www.scseagrant.org

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