Empire Fisheries joins a long tradition of fishing from the port of Stonington, Connecticut. The historic Stonington Fishermen’s Docks (sometimes called the Stonington Town Dock) is both a center of commerce and community activities. We are grateful to our town and neighbors for their support of the Stonington fishing fleet. We hope you will visit and come say hello if you see the Empire Fisheries boats in port!

STONINGTON FISHING FLEET HISTORY

Stonington’s location on the protected waters of Fishers Island Sound, but with quick access to the Atlantic Ocean, make Stonington an ideal location for fishing. A modern fishery in the European tradition appears in Stonington Borough as early as the 1750s.

Stonington Borough (once called Stonington Village) is a peninsula of the town of Stonington, CT. There is a strong history of maritime trades here, including ventures into shipbuilding, steamboat travel, sealing, whaling, and fishing.

Immigrants in the mid-1800s were attracted to the productive coastal waters and maritime opportunities in Stonington, just as many had been before them. In the 1850s a couple Portuguese families moved to Stonington and became an important part of our community. Soon a robust Portuguese population grew and settled in Stonington, bringing their fishing expertise and traditions with them.

The Blessing of the Fleet is an important annual community event with roots in Portuguese tradition. First celebrated in Stonington in 1954, the event traditionally features a large celebration on Saturday night and a mass at St Mary’s Church on Sunday morning, followed by a procession to the docks where the boats of the fishing fleet are blessed by a Catholic bishop. The boats then depart to lay a wreath in honor of fishermen who have died at sea.

Today, Stonington is the only deep-water port in Connecticut and its fishing fleet represents the last commercial fishing fleet in the state. The Blessing of the Fleet continues every year on the last Sunday of July. The Stonington Fishermen’s Docks are also a beautiful place to visit, to fish, to see amazing wildlife, and to observe the hardworking fishermen still bringing fresh, sustainable food to our community.

THE FISHERMEN’S DOCKS

The Stonington Fishermen’s Docks are open to the public. There is a public area & fishermen’s memorial at the end of the north pier which is a wonderful spot for fishing and squid jigging or just enjoying the view. The Fishermen’s Docks area also includes a playground, a Little Free Library location, and the Stonington Small Boat Association. The docks are located in the historic village of Stonington Borough which is full of shops, galleries, museums, and restaurants worth making a day of.