With Thursday's acquisition of 12 groundfish vessels and 27 associated fishing permits formerly owned by convicted fishing mogul Carlos Rafael, Massachusetts-based Blue Harvest Fisheries took yet another step toward solidifying itself as a seafood powerhouse in the New England region.

The company’s rapid rise since its launch in 2015 is in part due to its private equity-backed aggressive growth strategy and, in the case of the newly acquired groundfish boats, the collapse of a former New England powerhouse, Rafael, aka "The Codfather."