Fishermen say that because of years of onerous regulations and the rising, six-figure cost of permits, fewer and fewer young people are becoming boat captains. That's left lots of old salts like Sava doing the grueling job out of both love and necessity.
And they worry about their own safety and the future of an industry that has been vital to New England's economy and its very character since colonial days.
"The door is slamming shut," Sava says.
The National Marine Fisheries Service does not keep statistics on fishermen's ages, but state figures back up the sea captains' observations. Since 2000, the median age of Massachusetts holders of commercial fishing permits — that is, boat owners and owner-captains — has climbed from 46 to nearly 51, according to the state Division of Marine Fisheries.