The president of the committee that oversees the Lost Fishermen’s Memorial in Lubec says the group had never formally decided to exclude a father and son from the monument.

The fishing community was in an uproar that Chester and Aaron Barrett, who died when their scallop boat sank in January, were not included on the memorial during an annual remembrance ceremony this week. Committee president Barbara Sellitto said in a phone interview Friday that the committee has not yet held a meeting to discuss their inclusion.

Sellitto said the issue has been a complete misunderstanding and unnecessary controversy.

The community gathered at the memorial on Monday to honor commercial fishermen who have died while working at sea. The names of four other deceased fishermen were added to the memorial and unveiled during the ceremony.

Annie Sokoloski, a former seafood dealer, said earlier that since the Barretts were transporting their scalloping boat from one port to another to prepare for fishing the next day, the committee did not consider them “actively fishing.”

Sellitto said that another committee member told Sokoloski on the phone that the Barretts did not qualify, which caused the confusion. Sellitto said she has been caring for a friend in the hospital and that the other two committee members have been out of state.

Sellitto said that the committee will meet as soon as they can and will go through the bylaws to make a decision. She said she is also working with the Maine Department of Marine Resources to get more information on the circumstances of Chester and Aaron Barretts’ deaths.