Scores of fishermen have left the New Bedford area to resettle in Boston or Florida in order to escape the drug subculture that surrounds our waterfront. It is a subculture that has been whispered about in city circles, spoken openly about in city taverns and pooh-poohed and ignored by politicians. Some got trapped because the drug dealers saw how much money they had. They were worth chasing because these guys could afford it. This, by no means, is to say that all fishermen do drugs.
Many fishermen drink.
Some do drugs. Some drink and do drugs. Some do neither. Be assured we are talking about the high-risk fisherman. Those who have developed a reputation for their incredible drinking and drug binges in waterfront bars, reveling in the spectacle that is their return to port.