Macallister in the hunt for seat in Congress

MATTAPOISETT — He has been a Mattapoisett select board member and a reality TV star.

Now Tyler Macallister has set his sights on a new position: representative in the U.S. Congress.

Macallister is the Republican contender for the 9th Congressional district.  He will face off Nov. 3 against incumbent Democrat Bill Keating.

During his time of the select board, he said he worked to keep the town on a “good solid track.’’ During his tenure, the town’s bond rating increased from AA to AAA, which registers a town’s financial stability.

But he has become perhaps best known for his work off the land. He spends much of his time on the ocean, in particular as a bluefin tuna fisherman.

He is one of the stars of the Discovery Channel’s “The Harpoon Hunters,’’ which follows his adventures in search of the tuna.

The show reflects his lifelong passion for the sea. The Barnstable native began commercial fishing at 12.

The environment in general and the ocean in particular are “very, very dear to me,’’ he said, noting that “a big part of this district is on the ocean.’’

For the past 10 years, the bluefin tuna fisherman has been involved with the Commerce Department, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in sharing his experiences and advocating for the fishing industry.  

He applauded the April 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump that would ease fishing restrictions and expand the amount of fish that can be taken.

Macallister supported that action because, he said, with previous restrictions and catch limits “the fisherman always lost.’’

He also wants to advocate for more domestic seafood production.

His time on the ocean has led him to oppose wind energy. He said the wind turbines cause noise that disrupts marine life because “they can’t sense prey.’’

In his experience on the water, he said he has seen areas around the wind turbines that are empty of marine life. The areas are “absolutely desolate,’’ he said, proof that the wind turbines are impacting the environment.

He hopes to bring these concerns to the federal level if elected to Congress.

Although serving in Congress requires service in Washington D.C., Macallister said he wants to spend most of his time in the district.

“What’s lost in serving in the U.S. House of Representatives is that you’re representing 49 cities and towns,’’ he said.