The Maritime Fishermen's Union (MFU) represents over 1,800 fishers owner-operator mostly in the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The MFU works to maintain a sustainable inshore fishery in the hands of fishers from coastal communities. The MFU defends the principal of the fishermen owner-operator. Most MFU fishers practice a multi-species fishery with vessels under 15 meters.

The MFU was founded in New Brunswick in 1977. The organization grew around the Gulf of Saint Lawrence fishers' fight to preserve the gillnet herring fishery from the intensive fishery practiced by large senners. The unity and determination showed by inshore fishers around the issue reversed DFO policy and 80% of herring quotas finally reverted back to inshore fishers.

On the east coast of New Brunswick, the MFU is the official representative of inshore fishers in accordance to the Inshore Fisheries Representation Act of New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia, membership in the MFU in voluntary and we are working in concert with other organizations to represent fishermen.

Lobster consitutes the main catch of our fishers and often represents 75% of the annual revenue of fishing entreprises. Our members also fish other species in various regions such as : herring, scallop, mackerel, snow crab and groundfish species like cod, hake, flounder, plaice and turbot.

The Maritime Fishermen’s Union is a member of the Canadian Council of Professional Fish Harvesters and is part of the Southern Gulf Coalition.

The Maritime Fishermen’s Union is made up of six locals in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Local 10 regroups fishermen from Northern New Brunswick fishing between the Quebec border (Restigouche river) and Pokeshaw.

Local 1 covers the area from Pokeshaw, NB to Baie Ste-Anne on the Miramichi River.

Local 2 is situated in Southern New Brunswick, from the Miramichi over to the Nova Scotia border around Port Elgin.

Local 4 regroups members from Northern Nova Scotia on the main land.

Local 6 is the local of Eastern Cape Breton including Sydney Bight.

Local 9 covers the area from Digby to Cape Sable Island in South West Nova Scotia.