Waterman
Capt. Joe Nelson
Fourth-generation Southern Maryland waterman.
This Is Where Your Seafood Came From
Nelson Seafood
Captain Joe Nelson, FV Miss Murphy, and the Southern Maryland fleet bring fresh local seafood from the working waters of the St. Mary’s River with true provenance.
Pound Net Harvest Location
Storied Seafood with true provenance from St. Mary’s River, St. George Island, Maryland.
Pound Net Set and Harvest Location — St. Mary’s River, St. George Island, Maryland
38.112556, -76.458714
FV Miss Murphy and the Nelson Seafood crew work the seasonal harvest from the Southern Maryland waterways.
Working Waterman Story
A Southern Maryland Fishing Legacy
When you purchase seafood harvested by Nelson Seafood, you are supporting more than a catch. You are supporting a working waterman, his crew, his family, and a fourth-generation Southern Maryland fishing legacy.
Captain Joe Nelson represents the fourth generation of Nelson watermen, carrying forward a family tradition rooted in the working waters of Southern Maryland. With 38 years on the water, Captain Joe harvests native seasonal seafood from the St. Mary’s River, including Rockfish/Striped Bass, Perch, Blue Catfish, and bait fish.
The work of Capt. Joe Nelson, Nelson Seafood, and the crew reflects the pride, skill, and stewardship that define the Southern Maryland fleet — a commitment to fresh local seafood, responsible harvest, and preserving the waterways that have sustained generations of watermen before him.
Waterman, Gear & Harvest Details
Crew, Boat & Harvest Details
The people, vessel, species, and working-water experience behind the Nelson Seafood harvest.
Captain Joe Nelson
Generation: 4
Years Fishing: 38
Target Species: Rockfish/Striped Bass, Perch, Blue Catfish, Bait Fish
FV Miss Murphy
Vessel Build: Traditional SOMD deadrise
Length: 36 ft
Power: Cummins Diesel
Home Port: St. George Island
Fishing Grounds
Primary: St. Mary’s River
Location: St. George Island, Maryland
Harvest Method: Pound net set
Crew Connection
Senior Crew: Jerry Lukefahr and Johnny Cakes
Work: Gear handling, harvest support, sorting, and working deck duties
Support This Waterman
Wear the Story
Show your support by wearing Nelson Seafood branded merchandise. Every shirt, hoodie, and piece of gear helps share the story behind the seafood and keeps working watermen visible, valued, and connected to the communities they serve.
2026 Waterman Designs ›
Fish Alert carries the story forward
The Nelson harvest story can travel with the seafood.
Fish Alert gives buyers a way to follow incoming local harvests while preserving the person, region, and working-water knowledge behind the seafood.
When a buyer purchases seafood through a Fish Alert, that seafood purchase can be accompanied by free customer-facing QR and story material that helps promote the waterman, region, and harvest source.