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'The Codfather' loves the challenge |
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Carlos Rafael, nicknamed "The Codfather" for his stature in the New Bedford fishing industry, is originally from Corvo Island, Portugal. Since immigrating to the United States in March 1968, Rafael has dedicated his life to the fishing business. Today, as the owner of Carlos Seafood, supplying many wholesalers with 316 employees and a fleet of 40 boats, Rafael has achieved his American dream.
Q: How did you get involved in the fishing industry? A: I used to work in a mill in the '70s, and my father and mother went to work in a fish house. I was working 90 hours a week and was 17 years old, making $157. My parents were working 40 hours a week, sometimes 44 hours a week and would bring home $100. So numbers are numbers. If I work 90 (hours) and bring home $157, if they work 40 (hours) and they bring home $100, I am not doing too well at what I am doing. I decided to leave the job and go work in a fish place. Q: Did anyone influence you to get involved in the fishing industry? A: When I was a kid, my grandfather had been in the United States, and I remember him telling my mother: "Filomena, remember one thing. In America the business to be in when America is in trouble is food because people need to eat. It doesn't matter how bad things are, they need to eat." So, fish is food. It doesn't matter how bad things are, people always need to eat. So, we're always going to find money to eat, but if it's clothes or shoes, we can do without some of those items. Read the complete interview from The South Coast Today.
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MELISSA WOOD, NATIONAL FISHERMEN: Meting out the meager
May 22, 2012 - Listening to the New England Council's Groundfish Advisory Panel talk about how that industry is going to pay for monitoring costs is kind of like trying to figure out how to pay your bills when you've just lost your job. Though monitoring is important keeping costs down is critical. As Panel Member Gary Libby pointed out, "If we had 100 percent monitoring we probably wouldn't have an industry."
