OldTimer is correct.
The original COAS had the same competition with other hero captains (the same ones you can select for NEW game are added to the game if you don't select them), but COAS only had a few captains. We did not remove that feature, so when we added 140 other characters to select from, they are also added, just like COAS, but since there are so many in ERAS, they often grab the resources in the ports they visit and is also why you see so many of them in the taverns.
The simplest method, like OldTimer mentioned, is to board prize ships and take their resources and crew.