Empire Fisheries

EMPIRE FISHERIES

Empire Fisheries is a family of fisheries companies with a long history in Stonington, CT. Started as Briarpatch Enterprises, Inc. in 1982, we have evolved through many different fisheries. The original Briarpatch company still exists as our aquaculture business, farming clam and oyster beds in Long Island Sound and Fishers Island Sound.

Today, Empire Fisheries operates four burgundy-hulled trawlers out of the port of Stonington. Regulus, Invictus, and Furious are specialized in scallops and Starbrite specializes in squid & fish.

Our boats are high-endurance trawlers built to fish year-round in extreme weather. We are dedicated to running safe, state of the art equipment, healthy and safe workplaces that create a team environment. Fishing is rewarding but hard work. Fishermen must possess a broad skill-set and persevere through the most difficult of circumstances. They may be at sea for up to fifteen days.

The Empire Fisheries family is proud to carry on the Stonington fishing tradition. We are committed to providing high quality, fresh, and sustainably sourced seafood to our community through the safest and most environmentally sound methods.

Empire Fisheries primarily harvests sea scallops and squid on the continental shelf from the mid-Atlantic to the Canadian border. The United States sea scallop fishery is the largest wild scallop fishery in the world & it is extremely important to the U.S. economy. Wild-caught Atlantic sea scallops, squid, and our other products are all smart seafood choices, because these fisheries are sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations.

Good science makes good policy and good policy makes good regulations.

We partner with universities and foundations to conduct fisheries research. Scientific efforts to investigate and overcome challenges in an ever-changing environment have had many positive results on our fishery and the marine environment. We are proud that our fisheries are marine stewardship council certified.

Empire Fisheries believes that our town has a right to our civil loyalties. It supports us and we should support it. We are proud to fish from the Stonington Fishermen’s Dock and to participate in this culturally, historically, and economically important industry.

Please come say hello when you see us in port at the Stonington Fishermen’s Dock!

Empire Fisheries’ Owners

Joe and Nancy officially started in the fisheries in 1980, although Joe has been involved in fishing all his life. By 1982 Joe learned to be a lobsterman, trawlerman, and shellfisher. Nancy comes from a long line of entrepreneurs preparing her for the skills and responsibilities needed to run a business. Their original shellfish company, Briarpatch Enterprises, is still Milford's premiere shellfish company. Nancy, Joe, and the Empire Fisheries family of companies have continued to evolve through many fisheries, including expanding into the offshore scallop industry in 2003. Nancy and Joe are proud to carry on the Stonington tradition of providing fresh, sustainable seafood to our community. 

Contact Us

Our Offices: 926 Stonington Rd. Unit 3. Stonington, CT 06378