“Watermen need to diversify now more than ever,” says Glenn Markwith, Virginia Sea Grant-funded program coordinator of the Virginia Watermen’s Heritage Tour Program.
He reflects on a story of a friend of his, a dairy farmer whose business met hard times due to industry trends. To supplement his income, he “diversified”—taking Girl Scouts on hayrides, growing asparagus, and selling Christmas trees in December.
“I see parallels there with Virginia’s working watermen. We need to explore every available opportunity to keep our working watermen where they love to be—out on the water,” says Markwith. “That’s one of the main reasons for the program.”