It’s the Lenten season, and for many that means no meat on Fridays as an act of penitence. The religious tradition observed from Ash Wednesday to Easter dates back centuries. It’s also good for the seafood business, which happens to be a huge part of the southern New Jersey economy. The problem is: Fewer Catholics are observing the old traditions.
“It’s not like it was in the past. Ash Wednesday years ago was one of the biggest days of the year. As the population gets older and people die off, the new generation isn’t following the rules like they did,” said Al D’Amato, the day manager at the seafood market.
D’Amato recalls customers even shunning some of the chowders because they have bacon in them. He rarely gets those kinds of questions anymore. The decline of Lent seafood sales also has been noted at Viking Village in Barnegat Light.
Read the complete story from The Press of Atlantic City.