April 19, 2016 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — A monument honoring commercial fishermen could be unveiled on Memorial Day on a waterfront site near the ferry terminal and State Pier, after more than a decade of fundraising and planning efforts, supporters and city officials said.
Deb Shrader, chairperson of the Fishermen’s Tribute Fund Committee, said the unveiling could coincide with the annual Fishermen’s Memorial Service on Pier 3.
Memorial Day is May 30. The holiday’s message reflects that of the monument, which Shrader said will “honor fishermen past, present and future.” The clay creation of local sculptor and Bristol Community College art professor Erik Durant will be cast in bronze, Shrader said. The sculpture depicts a fisherman kneeling and hugging his daughter with one arm, while placing his other hand on his son’s shoulder. His wife stands closely behind, touching her son and her husband.
“You can’t tell whether the fisherman is saying goodbye to his family or returning from a trip,” Shrader said. “Both moments are very intense. If you’ve been part of a fishing family … that’s a moment in time that they remember.”
Mayor Jon Mitchell said the moment is fitting for the statue’s location in Tonnessen Square Park, close to MacArthur Drive and the State Pier entrance.